Reinserted
by mundane-pansycakes
Summary: Wanda and Ian have been fine for a while and everything seems perfect. But when the group comes across another human resistance, Wanda is fatally injured with no cyrotank in sight to save her. What will happen to her? Full of plot twists, new characters, and lots of O'wanda!
1. Chapter 1

**Wanda POV**

"Tonight?" I asked, looking nervously up at Jared. He had just told me about the meet-up we're having with another group of survivors. Ever since meeting Nate's group, we've been searching for more resistances throughout the country. We've found 5 others in the past year, and this would be our sixth.

"Yes. That's the only time they can get here," Jared sighed. Melanie stood next to him, his arm wrapped snugly around her waist. She looked just as shocked by the news. We had just raided a week ago, and were not ready to risk our lives again. Well, I didn't mind so much-I would do anything for them-but it was unnerving to most.

"Oh, okay," I nodded. Ian rolled his eyes from beside me.

"Wanda, you don't have to go if you don't want to," he said. He was always trying to protect me, make sure that I thought of myself first. I had improved a lot since I first got here, but I still couldn't grasp the concept of selfishness. "They don't need you there. It's just if you want to."

"No, I want to go," I insisted. I did, really. I loved meeting the others humans and hearing their stories, helping them out, giving them tips on raiding. It made me feel like one of them, somebody who was on the good side. Not like a filthy parasite who destroyed their planet. "I just didn't expect them to come this quickly. We only heard from them a few days ago." One of the other human resistances we had met had figured out a system of communication for us to share. They have a few people working on the inside of society, passing word along for us. We only got word from this new group at the start of the week, and I hadn't expected them to want to meet so soon. They usually gave us at least a week or two to prepare.

"I know, but by the time they received our message, they were already out on a long term raid. They thought it'd be easier if they just stopped here on the way," Jared explained. I nodded, understanding. Ian still looked unhappy with my compliance, his mouth in a tight line, but he didn't say anything about it. "Anyways, we're meeting up a little west of here, closer to the city. It should only be an hour drive or so. And since we just raided, we won't need to stop anywhere else. We'll be back tomorrow afternoon."

"Fine. Who's coming?" Ian wondered.

"Just the usual: Jeb, Kyle, Aaron and all of us. Maybe Jamie, if you'll let him," he directed at Melanie.

"No way. He went on the last one, and that was a close call. This time, he stays home," she stated. Nobody argued with her on that. I never liked the idea of Jamie leaving the caves, but Mel was the one technically in charge of him, so she had the final say. His first raid with me was horrifying; I kept holding onto him and covering him up, keeping him as safe as possible.

"Okay then. We'll meet you guys later tonight?" Jared said, closing the little meeting.

"Yes," I smiled. The two walked off, hands twisted together, and Ian turned to me. He furrowed his brow, studying my face carefully and I rolled my eyes-very unlike me. "What?"

"Nothing," he lied. "I just want to make sure you're doing this because you want to. Not because Jared says so. Jared's a jerk."

"No he isn't," I defended. Ever since being inside of Mel's body, there was no way I could ever be mad at Jared. I still felt the slightest love for him, though more like a brother. Then again, I was never really mad at anybody. Part of being a Soul, I suppose. "And I want to go, Ian. I really do."

He studied me again before cracking a smile and lifting me up into his arms. "Fine. But we need some alone time, then, to prepare."

And then I had a selfish thought: I liked the sound of that.

* * *

Just minutes later, I was sitting up on my knees in our bedroom, my hands lightly gripping his shoulders. His rough, warm hands grazed over my back, his sea blue eyes staring at me with hunger, love. I leaned in slowly, not wanting to rush it, and then stopped myself. I should let him do it. I can't be selfish like this. If he wants to kiss me, then he'll kiss me. I will not make that choice for myself.

"Wanda," he half-laughed, pulling away slightly. I sat back on my knees, the mood ruined by my mistake. I shied away, pushing my hair in front of my face to hide from his disappointed expression. He was always disappointed with me when I did things like this; and it wasn't the first time.

It had been about a year since I was put into Pet's body, but Ian and I hadn't gotten _that far_ yet in our relationship. It took some time to adjust to this body, get settled in. Ian tried to take us to the next level a few times, but I always ruined it, the Soul in me coming out. I hated the way he looked when I always stopped him. I knew that he would wait for me, wait until I'm ready, but I could see the desire in his eyes. He loved me more than himself, and would do what I wanted. "I'm sorry. I just . . . I don't like making these kind of decisions. They don't feel right," I admit, sadly. What if I never learn to control this purely kind Soul that I am? What if I will never truly be considered human?

"Don't apologize, honey," Ian whispered, stroking my cheek gently. "It's who you are. We can take it slow if you like."

"No," I said firmly. "I don't want to take it slow. We've been taking it slow for a year, Ian. It's . . . it's time that we pick up the pace." The words surprised both of us. Just a second ago I had been contemplating how terrible it makes me feel to even think about indulging in such a pleasure as loving Ian. But now, the words just popped right out of my mouth, my human intentions overpowering my Soul-like manner.

"Wanda . . . I don't want to do anything you don't want to. Don't worry about pleasing me."

"I know. I want to do this. I really, really want to do this," I said, my voice sounding lower than usually. I leaned in close and kissed him, gently at first. He was stunned by the confident gesture-a rare occurrence coming from me-but immediately responded to my touch, wrapping his arms around my waist again. My fingers anxiously gripped his hair as his tongue skirted across my lips and into my mouth, making me moan in pleasure. The Soul told me to hold it back, but the human let it out. I could feel Ian smiling against me.

He gently eased me down until I was flat on my back against the mattress. He straddled me, his lips still sealed with mine, and began to work my shirt off. I helped him, despite feeling exposed in front of him like this. It was weird. Very, very weird. But it felt amazing, having the person I love most in the world look down at me and smile. The cool air tickled my skin, but Ian's love, obvious in his deep eyes, filled me with warmth. He leaned down and kissed my chest, trailing quick pecks down to my stomach. As he did so, I let my hands work his shirt over his head, all the while keeping my eyes closed in delight. I've never felt this good before. "Wanda," Ian murmured against the hollow of my neck. I arched my back in response. "You're so, so beautiful." He grazed his hands over my exposed top and smoothly unzipped my jeans, his hands linger on my hips.

I wanted to tell him that I'm not beautiful, that Pet is, but I knew it would only wreck this moment. This was the farthest we've gotten and I didn't want a repeat; I wanted to go all the way this time. Ian sensed my brief hesitation as he removed my pants. "You are, Wanda. In every sense of the word. As a Soul, as a human. You are always beautiful to me," he said. I nodded, not sure how to respond without self-deprecating. Instead, I helped ease him out of his own pants, leaving us both only in our undergarments.

He laughed as I stared at his body, perfectly shaped, muscled and bronzed. His blue eyes glowed in the afternoon light, his sandy hair tousled from my constant pulling. _He _was beautiful. As a human. There was no Soul in him, and that made him all the more better. He was purely human; one body, one mind. A beautiful thing.

"You know what's great about this body?" Ian whispered in my ear, breaking my train of thought. I didn't mind at all, though. His hot breath against me made me shiver in delight. "There's," he kissed my stomache. "No one." Then my chest. "Else." My neck. "But." My cheeks. "Us," he breathed, his lips pressing against mine in one perfect moment of bliss. My heart hammered as his passion seemed to pour into me, his body fitting against mine in the most exact way. His bare skin touching mine was incredible.

"Just us," I whispered back as he broke away for air. "Till tonight."

Ian smiled and tilted his head back, brushing a piece of golden hair away from my face. "Let's make the most of it."

* * *

**Okay, so this is not going to be a cliché OTP fanfic. It's just that I really love O'wanda and had to write at least some fluff for them. The next chapter is going to be pretty intense, as it will get into the actual plot of the story, so please check it out! Reviews are always welcome :) **


	2. Chapter 2

"Wanda, Ian!" Mel called from outside of our room, banging on the heavy, red door. I slowly opened my eyes, blinking hard and looking around. It was now dark outside, judging by the light coming in from the cracks, and Mel must be getting us for the raid.

I sat up and quickly realized that was a bad idea. I belatedly realized I wasn't wearing any clothes. "Do I have to come in there?" My eyes widened in embarrassed horror and I quickly wrapped the sheets around myself.

"No! We'll be out in a minute, Mel," I answered. I could practically hear her roll her eyes, but she soon walked away, her footsteps echoing in the caves. Ian was still sleeping beside me, his bare body glowing in the dim light. I looked down at myself in shame. I had just done something so terribly, terribly selfish. Something so satisfying and indulging, yet so spoiling. I whimpered in guilt.

"Wanderer?" Ian yawned, hearing me. I covered my mouth and prayed that he hadn't heard my sigh of defeat. He rolled around and smiled up at me, his eyes grazing over my body for a second. "Are you okay?" he asked, concerned.

"Yes," I lied. "Mel just came to get us. We're leaving soon." I fumbled out of bed, careful to keep the blanket covering me from Ian. Though we had both seen each other completely by now, I still felt uncomfortable when he looked at me straight on. Ian chuckled at me self-consciousness, though I know it offended him. Which made me feel even worse. I turned away and started to pull my clothes on again, fumbling with my tangled shirt. "Here," Ian whispered from behind me. I gasped as he wrapped his arms around me from the back and took the top from my hands, gently tossing it aside. He kissed me from behind, tilting his head around to meet my lips. His hands brushed me lightly across my chest, and I didn't even try to stop him. It felt too perfect.

All too soon, he pulled away and handed me my shirt. I struggled with it for a second more before sliding it over myself, feeling more comfortable now that I was covered up. Ian, too my dismay, also covered himself up before pulling me out of the door, a grin plastered on his face. "What?" I asked, looking at him, confused.

"You're just so beautiful, Wanda," he whispered, twining his hands in mine. I bit my lip, feeling uncomfortable. I know he meant it in the nicest way, but it always made me think of my body. Pet's body. I tried to keep my gaze steady as I walked down the cave, but Ian wasn't buying it. "Wanderer, stop. I don't mean it like that. And I'm sorry I keep telling you that, but I can't help myself. You _are _beautiful. More than that. Everything about you is so incredible, so magical." He slid his hand against my cheek and I dared to look up at him, guilt swallowing my face. "Last night was amazing because _you _were there, Wanda. Not because of your body, but because of every little move you made, every word you said, every kiss you gave. I love you, Wanda. Not your body. _You." _

I nodded, unsure of how to react. I wanted to dismiss everything he said, but his eyes told me he was telling the truth. Instead, I said, "Thank you, Ian. I . . . I had a good time last night." I couldn't keep a straight face.

"Oh, really?" He cracked a smile, squeezing my waist tighter. "Well, just let me know when you need some alone time." Together, we continued to walk through the dark, quiet caves. Everyone was asleep except for those of us who were going on this meetup. By the time we got to the cave entrance, we could hear the soft murmur of voices. Mel, Jared and Jeb were talking softly in the cave's entrance. As we walked in, they all turned their heads toward us and smiled.

"Finally," Mel laughed. "What were you doing in there?" My eyes went wide in horror. How could she possibly know? She looked at me in confusion and I realized she was just trying to make a joke.

"Just sleeping," Ian yawned, covering for me. I took a breath of relief. "Where's Aaron? Kyle?" The two were supposed to come, but they weren't anywhere around.

"Aaron had a little incident working this morning. Hurt himself pretty bad. Doc doesn't want him to go," Jared explained.

"Why was he working?" I asked, concerned. We're not supposed to work the day of a raid, even for one as quick as this one.

"I needed some of the stronger boys to help me with somethin' and volunteered," Jeb sighed. "It was my fault. He'll be fine by tomorrow."

"Oh." Jared was now talking to Ian about plans for the trip, making gestures about directions and such. I watched as Kyle trudged up from the caves and towards us. Jeb smiled at him and waved everybody over to the entrance. Jeb always came on these meetings, mainly because any deals and exchanges of information had to go from him. Having him come with us just made things easier. Jared comes because he was the master of all raids. Mel goes because of him. Kyle comes because he never misses a raid. I come to help explain the Soul-related things, while Ian comes to protect me.

After a few minutes of going over our plan of action-a pretty standard meet up in an abandoned house-we were running through the desert, the sand blowing in our faces, the wind rushing our skin. It was dark outside and it took a while for my eyes to adjust, but Ian kept me steady. When we finally reached the Jeep, we hustled in and started the car. Kyle draped the tarp over the back and we were off.

* * *

"So," Mel whispered after about half an hour. We were sitting in the way back, with Kyle and Ian infront of us and Jared and Jeb at the wheel. We were both rolled up in balls, trying to fit there, but neither of us minded. Mel remembered the way I had curled up in the caves after first arriving, and my body was so small that it didn't make a difference to me. The boys were chatting quietly. "How was it?"

"Huh?" I looked at her in confusion. Was this some human thing I haven't picked up on yet?

"How was it? I didn't think it'd ever happen with you two, but I guess I was wrong!" Mel chuckled to herself as my face went white, finally understanding. I felt so horrified and ashamed that I nearly burst out crying, but held in it. "Oh, Wanda. Don't be like that." She swatted my arm playfully. "You don't have to be embarrassed. It's just the _human _thing to do." She emphasized the word.

"How'd you know? That we . . ." I raised my eyebrows.

"It was all over your face, Wanda. You're cheeks are practically fluorescent. And the fact that your shirt is on backwards," Mel laughed. I looked shockingly at my shirt, which was indeed turned around. I hastily switched it around while Mel shook her head at me. "Sometimes, Wanda, it's impossible to believe that someone so oblivious is alive."

"Oblivious?" Was Mel trying to insult me?

"Not in a bad way, Wanda. Just in the way that you don't seem to understand how things work. It's cute, really."

"Oh," I nodded. Just another thing to remind me that I am a Soul, not a human. Mel belatedly realized that she had offended me, but I smiled at her. I couldn't make her feel guilty. It wasn't her fault that I was a Soul.

"Hey!" Jeb called from up front. "We're 'bout there. I can see 'em in the distance."

"Thanks, Uncle Jeb," Mel replied. Ian twisted around to look at me and smiled. He slipped his hand into mine and squeezed quickly. Mel sat up on her knees, ready to get out. After about a minute or so, the Jeep slowed down as Jared pulled into a dark, abandoned area. There was a small house to our right, no lights on. I could just make out the shape of another car a hundred feet or so away, disguised well. That must be the other group.

"Let's go. Remember, don't say anything until we know it's them." The only troubling part about these meet ups is the fact that they could be traps. Our messages could be intercepted and changed, only to lead us right into the Seekers hands. Hopefully, this wasn't the case.

I quietly followed Melanie out of the car and towards the house. Ian immediately caught up to me and held me close. His hand gently stroked the scar on my neck. He had a strange attachment to the scar. He told me once it was because he felt closest to me when he touched it, knowing that my real self was right under the faded line. "All clear," I heard Jared whisper from ahead, where he stood at the door to the house. He slipped inside and Jeb and Kyle followed. Mel ducked in after, followed by Ian and I.

At first, the room was totally dark. Then, I began to make out a few figures. Two large guys, both carrying thick bags. A young girl, maybe twelve, cradling one of their legs. And a tall woman, leaning against the wall, a smile on her face. "Jeb, I presume?" she asked. Her voice was inquisitive, her smirk rising.

Jeb stepped forward extending his hand. "That's right! And you must be Lynn." The men visibly relaxed after examining Jeb, mainly his eyes, and the tiny girl smiled sheepishly.

"I am. I'm so glad that we were able to meet you. I've been looking for other resistances for a long time now, and only a few months ago we stumbled across Mark's group." Mark was the leader of the humans who set up the messaging system. "Without them, we might not have survived. They've taught us so much about surviving."

"Well I'm glad that you met them. Our numbers are growin' smaller each day, and any human is a friend 'a mine," Jeb smiled.

"This is James, Carter, and Anna," Lynn said, gesturing to the small group. I examined Anna, the young brunette clinging to James. She had the same curious grin on her face that Lynn had, and I suddenly realized she was her daughter. James must be her partner. "The others are still sleeping, I'm afraid. This has been a very long raid for us."

"This here is Jared and Mel, Kyle, and Ian and Wanda," Jeb introduced. Lynn smiled at each of us as she scanned the line. Her eyes settled on me and I could see the others follow her gaze. Her eyebrows furrowed in hatred and before I could blink, the sound of a gunshot was ringing through my ears.


	3. Chapter 3

It doesn't hurt all that bad. Not if I don't think about it.

It's only a bullet, right in my chest. Only a bullet plunged deep through my heart, knocking me over and pouring me out.

Red is everywhere. It intercepts my vision in splotches. It pools around my body. It's the last thing I think before I can't think any longer.

* * *

**Mel POV**

"WANDA!" Ian screams as Lynn fires her gun, aimed straight at Wanda's chest. I don't have time to think; I just move.

Wanda slumps to the floor, scarlet blood seeping out of her in the most horrific way. Ian is hysterical, rushing towards her with me. "What did you do?" Jared shouts at Lynn as Ian carefully turns Wanda over, laying her across his lap.

"Wanda, please. Don't go, Wanderer," Ian whispers, cupping her face. I quickly work off my sweatshirt and rip it into strips. I wrap them around her chest, hoping to stop the bleeding, but it's no use.

"I killed it," Lynn growls as I frantically push my hands against the wound, willing it to stop. Ian is sobbing, his hands fumbling over her body in panic. The light in her silver eyes is gone, and I know we don't have much time. "Why would have such a disgusting creature traveling with you? Don't tell me you've sided with them."

I can see Jared pin her to the wall in the corner of my eye. "Don't you talk about her like that," he roars. "You're the disgusting creature." I hear the sharp smack of skin against skin, and I know that he's slapped her. James moves against Jared and they wrestle as I nervously inch my fingers around Wanda's neck. "Get out of here! All of you!" he yells. After a moment of reluctancy, Lynn and her group retreat. Small Anna whimpers as her mother drags her away from the bloodied girl lying beside me. Jeb and Kyle exchange a look of concern before running out after her, trying to understand what's happening.

I lean over her face and carefully pull open her eyes. Blue. Not silver. My breathing picks up. "Wanda, honey, please say something," Ian cries, but he already knows. He drops his head against her chest and moans as I shuffle through my bag. There's nothing there but a few shirts and energy bars. Nothing useful.

"Ian, listen to me," I say as calmly as possible. He doesn't move, but I can tell he's paying attention. His hand traces lines along Wanda's stomach. "She's not there, Ian. The shot must have detached her from Pet's nerves. She isn't able to reconnect, probably due to the damage." I remember talking a few months ago to Wanda about what happens to a Soul when their host is hurt. She told me that in critical cases, the Soul usually is unable to maintain their grasp on the body, and usually detaches. She also told me that Souls can only live for a few minutes without a live host. All we have is a few minutes.

"And if she doesn't have a host then . . ." Jared starts, coming to my side.

"Yes," I nod. She also told me that Souls can only live for a few minutes without a live host. All we have is a few minutes.

"Ian, we're going to save her, okay? Please, you just need to stay calm. She will be alright," I tell him, though I'm not quite sure. I push him gingerly away from Wanda. He fights back, but eventually gets off of her. He places her head in his lap, though, unable to let go. "Jared, hand me your knife."

"What? Why?" He asks, still not catching on.

"Just give it to me." He looks at me in confusion before reluctantly handing me his knife. He stares at me in horror, afraid of what I'll do.

I look around the small house and settle my eyes on a half-broken mirror. It will do. I place the knife carefully above my neck, above the ever-present scar from Wanda's insertion, and pull my hair back. I swallow hard before dragging the knife in a careful line across my skin. It stings, but it isn't that horrible. Drops of blood spill out of the wound as I turn back to Wanda. "Mel, what are you doing?" Jared yells. I knew he would protest. But I don't care. Wanda's more important right now.

"I'm saving her, Jared!" Ian finally seems to realize what's happening and tilts Wanda's head to the side, exposing her scar. I make a clean cut across it and then lay down beside her. "Ian, can you handle this? You've done it before, right." Ian nods shakily and slips his hand inside of Wanda's neck.

"Mel, this isn't your responsibility!" Jared cries, kneeling down beside me. There is no way in heaven of hell that Jared would let another Soul inside of me, even if it was Wanda.

"Shut up, Jared," I shake my head at him before glancing over to Ian. Cupped in his hands is a bright sliver of silver. Wanda in her own state. I'd seen her before, but it still mesmerized me. As disgusting as some parasites seemed, the Souls were truly beautiful. Her silver lights hypnotized me.

Only she looks different. Her light, once bright and brilliant-almost blinding-is now barely a flicker. Ian seems to notice this, too, and lets out another sob. "Wanda, it's okay. We're going to save you," Ian whispers. "Mel, are you sure you can . . ." As much as I can tell he wants this, I know that he would never make me do such a thing if I wasn't ready.

"Yes. Please, we don't have a lot of time." I close my eyes and try to keep my breathing steady. Insertions never occur while the Host is awake, and I don't know how exactly this will feel. Jared locks his hands around mine and kisses it quickly as Ian leaves over me. I tilt my neck to give him better access and take another deep breath.

"I'm sorry, Mel," Ian whispers as he slips his finger inside of my neck. I let out a small cry as he opens the cut, his fingers stinging on contact. I feel a brief flash of cold as he slides Wanda inside of me. I blink quickly, trying to stay in focus. I know it's no use. Any minute now, my mind will be pushed back into the deepest corners and Wanda will take over.

Jared holds me tighter as I cry out again. I can feel Wanda moving inside me, somehow. I can feel it as each over her nerves connect with one of mine. Slowly, different functions seem out of my control. I can no longer hear Jared's nervous talking. The taste of blood in my mouth from biting down so hard is gone. My vision blurs as I can't see.

The coldness spreads through me and I cringe. In some unexplainable way, I know that Wanda only has one more nerve to connect before she resumes control. I feel it slide into place, and then I'm gone.

* * *

**Wanda POV**

I'm sinking, falling. Crumbling and withering into nothingness. I can feel it somehow, despite the fact that a Soul shouldn't feel without a host. But somehow I know it. I'm out of time.

A warmth spreads through me and I know that Ian is holding me. Ian is stroking me gently, telling me it's okay. I don't know how I know this. I don't know how I can _think. _But it doesn't matter. Because I'm going to die in Ian's hands in my true form, as myself. Not a parasite, not a destroyer. Just as a creature and a Soul, in the hands of the person I love.

But then I feel alive again. I feel the familiar warmth of a host body, the comforting encasement of blood. My body seems to fit right in, struggling to connect before I die.

And then I do, and everything is so much more clearer. I can hear sounds in the background, voices crying. I can taste blood in my mouth. I can feel a hand on my cheek, a hand in my hair. _Melanie's_ hair.

_I hate you, Mel! _I think, hysterical. I would never say this to her, but at the moment, I feel like I do hate her. I hate that she's giving up her body to save me. I could've died. I wouldn't mind dying if she could live.

There's no reply, so I try again. _Mel, I'm sorry. I don't mean that. Thank you . . . this was very kind of you. _Still silence.

_Mel? Please, Mel, answer me! _

My mind is empty of everything but my own thoughts.

I open my eyes in horror and see both Ian and Jared leaning above me anxiously. They both seem to relax as they settle on my silver eyes, knowing that I'm okay. "Oh, Wanda. Thank god you're okay," Ian cries, pulling me tight and into his arms. I can see that Jared's uncomfortable with this action, but he doesn't say anything. Even this trauma must have gotten to him.

"Ian," I say, shaking my head. "She's gone."

"What?" Jared nearly screams. Ian pulls away and stares at me straight in the eyes.

"What do you mean, Wanda? Everything's okay. You'll be fine. We'll get you a new host, okay? Nothing's wrong," Ian soothes.

"No, Ian. You're not listening." I take a shaky breath and close my eyes shut. "Melanie's gone."

* * *

**Okay, so I belatedly realized that I switched tenses in this chapter. Sorry. Hope it doesn't really matter. I might go back and fix it later. Anyways, I hope you liked this chap! Please review and let me know what you thought :) **


	4. Chapter 4

We sit in the house in silence, not sure what to say. Ian holds me, though not to tightly. He doesn't want to anger Jared. Ever since I was reinserted into Mel, Jared hasn't move. He just sits, staring at the wall, his jaw locked and his eyes glazed. Jeb and Kyle aren't back yet, and I want to go check on them. But Ian refuses to let me move. He keeps forgetting that _I _wasn't shot, just Pet.

Pet still lay on the floor, the bleeding mostly stopped. I cringe as I look at her, missing my old body. Despite the small frame and lack of muscle, Pet had become me over the past year. And now, looking at her frail, empty form, I feel as if I've died with her.

"Jared?" a voice calls from outside. Jeb. They've been gone for a long time, and I wonder if Lynn's group has left or not.

Jared doesn't reply. Ian stands up and approaches the door. I hear it creak open. He talks in a hushed voice to Jeb and Kyle, probably briefing them on the situation. "Is she alright?"

"Wanda's fine," Ian whispers. I bury my head in my hands, Mel's brown hair shading my face.

"But what about Mel?" Kyle asks. I whimper again and search desperately for her presence, but she's not there. My mind is silent albeit my own racing thoughts.

Ian sighs and I picture him running his hands through his hair, biting his lips like he always does. But I'm too afraid to look up. "We don't know."

The heavy pound of footsteps gets closer and I feel Jeb place a hand on my back. "You okay, kid?" I shake my head, fighting the urge to cry. "It'll all be okay. Don't you worry, Wanda." I nod between my legs and hear Ian sigh. "Let's get back outside. The others want to meet with you."

"They're still here? Didn't you talk some sense into them?" Ian growls. Jared stays silent and passive.

"I talked to 'em, but they . . . uh, have some news to share with y'all. About why they . . . " I look up when he drops the sentence and gestures towards Pet's body.

"Because they're monsters, that's why. No more explaining than that," Ian returned.

"Ian, you might want to listen," his brother says seriously. "Wanda, you too."

"We can't, Jeb," I whisper. My voice sounds unfamiliar and nostalgic at the same time. I've had such a high, bright voice for so long that it seems weird to hear Mel's voice speaking my words. "I have to find Mel. I can't do anything until I do," I cry. Tears run down my face. What if I killed her? What if it's my fault that she's gone? What if she never comes back?

Jared turns and looks at me in the eyes, moving for the first time in what seems like forever. "Mel will be fine. She's strong. We need to deal with this now and then go." I'm shocked by his words. I was expecting him to yell at me, to scream, to burst into tears. But he's doing exactly the opposite: he's telling me to forget about the love of his life for the movement and deal with our current problems.

"But I . . ."

"She will be fine, Wanda. Please. Just . . .just let's do this. I want to go home." I don't reply, but he stands up and heads for the door. Jeb gives me a grim smile and follows him. Kyle is hard-faced, like he was when I first got here, and storms out behind him. Ian turns and looks at me. I can tell he wants to kiss me, but he doesn't want to do anything wrong. Kissing me would be kissing Mel, and that would just make me feel worse.

"Wanderer," he whispers, taking my hands. "Come on, honey." I flick my eyes over to Pet's body, limp and red, and choke back tears. I stand up and walk over to her, lift her in my arms. It's surprisingly easy in Mel's strong, fit body. Her blonde hair hangs over my arms and I bite my lip. I walk carefully towards the door. Ian sees where I'm going and opens it for me, leading me outside. The air is cool and bites at my skin. I don't see Jeb, Kyle or Jared, let alone Lynn's group, but assume that they're waiting in the cars.

Ian clears a spot on the ground and starts scooping up the dirt. I lay Pet down gingerly and help him. He doesn't mention that we don't have time for this, or that there are more important things to deal with. He just helps like the kind human he is.

After a little while, we've made a hole big enough for the small girl. I cup her in my arms and kiss her cheek. I pity the poor girl who lost her mind to a Soul, and now her body to a human. I slide her gently into the grave. "I'm sorry," I whisper before helping Ian cover her with dirt. I smooth out the ground over her and suck in my breath. Ian looks at me for a cue, and I nod and stand up.

He takes my hand in his and we walk together towards the front of the house. We find the jeep after a few minutes. We knock on the door and Jeb comes out. "They're parked over there." Jared comes out of the car and follows us, silent.

Lynn is sitting outside of the car, crying softly. This shocks me, but I don't say anything. Her head pops up as we walk by and she wipes desperately at her eyes. She studies me, taking in my silver eyes, and bites her lip. Jeb must've told her about the insertion, but it must be shocking to see it.

"Just hear 'er out, boys," Jeb says to Jared and Ian. He knows that I would never yell at her or attack her in anyway, even with Mel's fire running through my veins. He walks away and leaves us alone with her. I can hear the soft voices of James and Carter talking with themselves from inside the car.

Lynn looks up, her blue eyes shining. "I'm sorry," she murmurs. Her voice is broken.

"It's okay," I reply automatically. Ian sucks in a breath of air—he would have said much worse—and Lynn's eyes bulge out. "I'm the enemy. It was a natural reaction."

"You're not the enemy, Wanda," Ian says at the same time that Jared yells, "Shooting a gun is _not _a natural reaction."

"I know. I take full blame," Lynn says. I can tell she actually regrets it. "Jeb explained to me all that you've done for them, Wanda. That you've helped them in impossible ways and they'd probably be dead without you . . . It's just—when I saw you, I couldn't think straight."

I blushed at Jeb's praise for me. None of it was true, but I wasn't going to interject. Ian's hand tightened around mine. "It's okay. We'll . . we'll be fine," I lie. I know I will, but what about Mel? If Mel dies, I don't know how—despite the Soul I am—I'll ever forgive Lynn.

"No, you won't. I just ruined your relationship, your body. I can't ever repay you" Lynn apologizes.

"Thank you, but you're right. You can't ever repay us. Now let's go. This was a joke," Jared sneered.

"Wait!" Lynn cried as he turned away. I stared at her with pity and sorrow and pain. With everything I could possibly feel. "I want to tell you why I shot at you. It wasn't just because you were a Soul."

I look at her, perplexed. What other reasons, what other motivations could she possibly have?

Ian looks just as confused as I do, and even Jared's grimace broke slightly. Lynn wiped her eyes again and tilted her head to the side so she wasn't looking directly at us. "That body. The one you were in?"

"Yes," I say carefully.

"She was my daughter."


	5. Chapter 5

"Her name was Macy. She was only 8 when they took her," Lynn says. We're now gathered inside of one of their cars, bundled up in blankets and talking in the dark. I'm sitting beside her, gently stroking her back to keep her calm. James is looking at me with angry eyes, but I can see a hint of sadness behind them. Ian is beside me. I can see that he wants to hold me, but Jared's stern warns him not to. He's desperate to find out where Mel's gone, but he knows this is just as important. This poor women lost her daughter only to be reunited with a monster inside of her.

"One day, she came home from school like always, got off the bus with a smile on her face." Lynn's face glints with tears in the darkness. I suck in a long breath, steadying myself. "But she wasn't herself. She was much more mature and calm. Her eyes looked different, but I thought it was just a trick of light. But then I saw all of my friends' children-they all were so similar. Same eyes, same composure. The school sent out a letter explaining it was simply a precautionary medical procedure, but I didn't believe it.

"And then I heard about the Souls." Her eyes flicker to me and I can feel the hatred behind them, no matter how much she was trying to understand me. "Rumors of another species attacking, taking over. Nobody believed it. Nobody even thought it was possible. But then more and more people started acting different. Neighbors and family members, all coming home with silver eyes and a new persona."

"Wait, they just took over? They attacked?" I whisper, awed. I look to Ian and he rubs a hand over his face. Seekers had told me that the majority of the human race had volunteered for insertion. That they welcomed the Souls, except for a few resisters. I never thought about it that much. Who would ever welcome a parasite?

"Not in the way you're thinking, Wanda," Ian answers, looking away. I know it hurts him that I am a Soul, as much as he denies it. He wishes I were a human so things would be simpler, less painful. "They didn't attack with guns or anything. They just slowly started taking over, person by person. Nobody knew how to stop them. It wasn't something any of us understood. And once we did, it was too late. The whole Earth was nearly gone."

He looks straight into my eyes and I quickly close them. Just another reminder of the parasite I am.

"When James and I finally realized what was going on-that it was an invasion, an attack; that people's minds were being erased, we ran. I . . . I had to leave Macy behind. She was one of them now, and I couldn't risk it. I promised myself I'd come back for her once I found away to remove the Soul from her.

"We ran for days, searching for someplace secluded. But the Souls were everywhere. The Seekers kept searching for us, for any humans left with their own mind. After a while, we learned how to live under the radar. We raided houses for food at night and slept in abandoned sheds. We found a few other humans undercover, like Carter. They were all alone and we took them in. And then we found a home. It's a cave over out West, perfectly concealed from Seekers. There was a stream only a walk away, the perfect source for water. Slowly, we filled the cave with raided food and clothes, pillows and blankets. We found more humans and opened up the place. We became a resistance." Lynn smiles slightly, proud of her work. She had saved many lives and kept the human race alive for so long.

She glances over towards Anna, who is sleeping easily in the back seat. "We had Anna only a few months later. We . . . we needed another child, to help forget about Macy. But you can never really forget." She looks down at her laps and plays with her fingers. I can see the lines in her face that I hadn't noticed before, the years of pain shown blatantly in her eyes. She looked so young and innocent before, but now I realized she's suffered so much.

"And we went on like that for years, making a life out of the ruins of our world. We met other groups and more people. We learned how to raid better, where to go. And then we were told about you. About how you have medicine and clothes and everything we needed desperately. So we came here to meet you, as you know. And it should have been perfect . . everything should have gone great. But then I saw you," she says, looking up at me. I fight back the urge to run, to get away from these people who hate me. But I knew I had to listen. They heard my story, and I had to hear theirs. "And the first thing I remembered is that it wasn't Macy I was looking at. That it was some parasite that had stolen her from he. And I fired . . I wanted to get you out of her. I wanted to bring her back." She bites her lip and brushes a stray strand of hair away from her face. "I'm sorry. I just . . . I wanted her back so badly."

I carefully wrap my arms around her, embracing her tightly. She starts to sob, violently shaking in my grasp. She murmurs inaudible sentences as I stroke her back, whispering apologies. The others watch in dead silence not sure how to act or what to say. Nobody seems to know anything anymore.

"Thank you," Lynn whispers against me. She sits up and wipes her eyes. She blinks and laughs at herself for showing emotion. "I'm very sorry about what happened. If I would have just stopped and listened . . . everything would have been fine."

"You have nothing to apologize for," I reply. "Anyone would have done it. You were trying to save your daughter."

She nods and closes her eyes. "I still feel terrible. You are such a good person, no matter your species. I can only hope that there are others out there like you."

"Oh, there are," Jeb says. "We met a few of 'em so far. There's bound to be a bunch of 'em all around. We might still have a chance!"

"Maybe," Lynn nods. "Well, I'm sorry about how this turned out. If you don't want to collaborate with us, we understand. But we really must go. We have a schedule to maintain."

"We'll keep in touch with you. Let us know when we can stop by," Jeb says. He shakes hands with her and waves goodbye to the two men before stepping out of the car. Kyle nods and follows after; Jared does the same.

I hesitate before standing up and hugging Lynn. "I really am sorry. She must've been an amazing young girl."

"She was," Lynn smiles slightly. I smile at James and Carter and turned towards the door, where Ian is waiting for me. "Wanda!"

I turn around, "Yes?"

"You weren't the first Soul to be put into Macy, right? You would've recognized me."

"No, I wasn't. The first Soul is on another planet now."

She nods at that but doesn't reply. I wonder what she's thinking as Ian pushes me out of the car and heads over to our own.

"Are you okay?" he asks, slipping his hand around my waist.

I shake my head and stare straight into the darkness. I don't know how to feel anymore, what to think. I'm torn between everything I know and feel. It's as if my mind is splitting open in a thousand different ways. "Wanda?" he asks as we reach the jeep. "It's going to be fine, okay? Lynn's group will be okay. We'll find you another body. Mel will come back, I promise." He leans in to kiss me but I push him away. I can't do this to Mel, even if she doesn't know it. "I'm sorry," he apologizes, realizing his mistake.

"It's okay," I whisper and slide into the car. He slides into the seat beside mine. Jared looks back at us from the driver's seat. "Where to?"

Ian looks at me and I nod. "The city. We need to find Wanda a new host."

* * *

**So I understand that a lot of people were surprised about Pet being Lynn's daughter, but I wanted to connect the two groups in a way. I hope it's not too stupid. Anyways, let me know what you think about it and if you have any predictions/thoughts about what will come next! Thanks for reading this :) **


	6. Chapter 6

"Wanda?" Jared asked after we had driven for about an hour. Ian was asleep beside me, and Kyle and Jeb were chatting softly up front, where Kyle had just taken over driving.

I turned to him and raised my eyebrows. "Yes?"

He looked out the window into the dark, night sky before turning back to me. He looked uncomfortable. "I was wondering . . . if you maybe wanted to, um, try something."

I studied him for a moment, trying to figure out what he was getting at. Ian repositioned himself on my left and fell back asleep. I sighed. "Sure," I answered, though I didn't know what I was agreeing to. "What do you need me to do?"

"I thought that maybe . . . since it worked last time . . . if you wouldn't mind. God, I'm sorry. I just . . . I was wondering if you'd be willing to try to help get Mel back by, well, you know," he mumbled. He turned his head away, not meeting my eyes. He probably couldn't bear to look at Melanie's face knowing she's not there. Once again, I felt like the enemy, the bad guy. And the guilt weighed me down.

"Oh," I gasped, after belatedly realizing what he meant. I remember the struggled kiss we shared last year when Mel disappeared for a few days. How he desperately grabbed at me and tried to bring her back. How I wanted his body against mine so terribly. Just like I felt now.

Of course, that's only because of Mel's urges. Her body craves Jared's touch, but my mind only wishes for Ian's. I stare at him, sleeping innocently, and wonder how much this would hurt him. Would he object? Or would he let me do it, for Melanie's sake? "Of course. I . . . I would do anything for her." I avoided meeting his eyes. I could see how much he didn't want to do this. He knew that kissing this body wasn't kissing Mel. It was still like cheating, and it deeply pained him. It was so obvious on his face. "Can we maybe do it outside though? I don't want Ian to . . ."

"I get it," he grumbled. He leaned forward and told Kyle to pull over. He looked confused, but did so anyway. Nobody wanted to anger Jared after today.

He pulled over to the side and stopped the car. It was still late at night, and luckily no Seekers seemed to be in sight. Jared hopped out of the Jeep and I followed. Ian shifted and I worried he'd wake up, but he just resettle. I let out a breath of relief and stepped outside into the warm, desert air. Jeb gave me a confused look, but then turned away. Jared led me a small distance away and then closed his eyes. "I'm really sorry, Wanda. I don't want to . . ."

"It's okay," I interrupted—a rare thing coming from me. "It's for Mel." He nodded stiffly before leaning in close. I could feel his breath hot against my skin. I cringed slightly, not used to anybody but Ian being so close to me. He saw my shudder and stepped back a little, but I reached out and reined him in closer. I tried not to think about Ian or Mel, but just about Jared. I dug into Mel's memories of nights spent with him, holding each other close and kissing each other softly. I closed my eyes and pulled him against me, softly at first. He was shocked by the action, but responded immediately to Mel's touch. Even if he knew she wasn't the one controlling the movements, he was still a slave to this body.

I moved my mouth in sync with his, letting him take the lead. He crushed me against his chest and I arched my back. He pressed down on my lips with fire, sending my skin to flames. I breathed in sharply before slipping my tongue into his mouth. He did the same and another shot of warmth flowed through me. "Mel," he whispered, reminding me of what was going on. I wasn't in love with Jared. I didn't want this.

"Jared," I whispered, pulling back. I knew it wasn't working. It wouldn't work. She would have responded immediately if she were there. "It's no use. She's . . . she's not there right now."

He ran his hands across his forehead, but nodded. "I know," he admitted. He must've known it from the moment our lips touched. "I'm sorry, Wanda."

"It's okay," I lied. It wasn't okay at all. New feelings were stirring in my stomach. I didn't know how to think or what to feel. It must just be Melanie's body responding. I loved Ian. Ian, not Jared. "Let's get back to the Jeep. We can go back home." I started walking over to the car, but Jared grabbed my arm and pulled me back.

"What do you mean? No, we're going to find you another body, Wanda," he said, staring straight into my silver eyes.

"No, Jared. Right now we're going to get Mel back. And that means getting me out. We need to get a cyrotank from Doc," I said. I wasn't going to argue. Mel was more important right now. I wouldn't die if I was in a cyrotank, but Mel might if I stay in her body.

"Wanda, stop doing this. Mel will be fine." His voice quivered and I knew he didn't believe it. "Let's go find a new host."

"Why? Either way we'll have to put my in a cyrotank until we know the girl won't wake up. We might as well get Mel back first." He stared at me and seemed to agree, but I could tell he felt bad saying so. He didn't want to shove me into a tank for days, no matter how much I would insist I didn't mind.

Instead of answering, he pushed forward and slid the door of the Jeep open. He settled in his seat and I climbed back into mine. "Wanda!" Ian said immediately. He was wide awake now and seemed more than alarmed by absence. "Where did you go? Are you okay?"

I tried not to look guilty of anything, hoping that my lying skills would prove top notch in this moment. I didn't want Ian to know about the kiss, especially since it was unsuccessful. "I'm fine, Ian. Jared just wanted to see where we were, if there were any good raiding spots around. And I came with him. I needed some air." My voice was steady, but the lie was stupid. Jared knew this area well and would never have had to leave the car.

But he didn't seem to notice the faulty words. He just nodded and pulled me closer to him. Jared's eyes shot towards him and he released me slightly, so that only our arms were entwined. "So, are we ready to get you a new host?"

I shifted my eyes to Jared, who was staring solemnly out the window. He wanted to say no. He wanted to turn back towards home and remove the parasite from Mel's body. But he wouldn't say any of that aloud, not in front of Ian or me. I knew what had to be done. "Yes, but first we need to stop somewhere."

Kyle turned around, ready to receive directions for where to go. He raised his brows at his brother, who looked at me in anticipation. "Yes, Wanda?"

I looked away and met Jared's eyes. "Head over to the shipping docks, Kyle. It'll only take a minute." He shrugged and started the car. He led us back onto the road again as Ian turned to me. His face was patterned with worry, his sea blue eyes filled with fright.

"Wanda, we don't need anymore medicines. Doc has enough for a couple months. Let's just find you a new body and get back home." He stroked my wrist gently and waited patiently.

"I know we don't need them, Ian. That's not why we're going there." Jared was watching us carefully, as was Jeb, though he was more discreet about it. "We need to pick up a cyrotank."

He laughed slightly, as if I was joking. "Why? We've got plenty at home. Stop worrying about everybody else for once, Wanda. Let's just take care of you."

"Ian, you're not listening."

"Yes, I am. I just need you to understand that you and Mel are our priorities right now, Wanda." He brushed his hand across my cheek. I could see it in his eyes that he wanted to kiss me, but he wasn't going to. Not until I was in a body of my own.

"I know. And that's why we need a cyrotank. So we can get Mel back as soon as possible."


	7. Chapter 7

"No," Ian said immediately, looking accusingly towards Jared. He took my hand in his and looked me in the eyes. "Wanda, we'll find you a new host in probably an hour or two. Waiting that much longer to get Melanie back won't hurt us."

I shook away his grasp and placed my hands in my head. "But we won't be able to get her back for a day or two unless we get me out right now! We'll have to wait to see if the human wakes up before Doc can insert me, and then we'll have to wait for Mel to wake up after. We don't have that much time."

Ian placed his hand on my back, but I shook my head. I didn't want to deal with this. I hated when he got so overprotective. I know he only wants to help me, but can't he see that Melanie is more important right now?

"Wanda . . . we have all the time we need. I'm sure Mel's there. Have you tried searching for her yet? Maybe she was like . . asleep, or something." I cast my eyes towards Jared, who immediately turned away. Yes, we tried searching for her. And no, she definitely wasn't asleep.

"Ian," Jeb said from up front, turning around in his seat. "I'm gonna have ta agree with Wanda on this one. She'll be fine either way, but Mel might not. And I'm not losing my niece." Kyle nodded in agreement as he pulled over towards one of the hospitals with a loading dock. Jared stared straight at Ian, who looked away in anger.

"I'll be okay, Ian. You know that. It'll just be a couple of days," I assured him, touching his arm. He continued to stare out the window, keeping a steady eye on the moon. I took a large breath before turning to Jared. "Are you ready?"

"Yes, I'll be back in a minute," he said before opening up his door. "Keep an eye out for me." We all nodded, albeit Ian, as he ran off towards the back side of the hospital. A few large crates were stacked up infront of the door. Jared searched the labels hastily, looking for the right one. He ripped open a box and pulled out what looked like a box of No Pain strips. Why was he getting those?

He then moved on to another crate, this one much larger. He easily pulled a silver cyrotank out of the bin before closing it up. "Excuse me!" Somebody called from outside. I whipped my head around and saw a Healer running outside, pointed at Jared. "If you need medical supplies, you should consult a Healer," he yells in a kind tone. Jared's eyes widened and he makes a run for the jeep. I unbuckle my seatbelt and dash out of the car as Ian screams at me. He grabs at my wrist but I pull away and make it outside. Jared gives me a stunned look, but slides into the car silently.

I slam the door shut and walk over to where the Healer stands, confused and worried. "I'm sorry," I say in my calmest tone. I'm now face to face with the man, Soul to Soul. "My partner is a collector. He wanted a cyrotank to be a part of his collection. We received authorization from a Seeker to just take one from here. Maybe we misunderstood . . ."

"Oh, no!" The Healer says, clearly relieved. "I'm very sorry. I had assumed it was a human at first and became worried. It is completely fine for you to take a cyrotank for your collection. They are very interesting technology."

"Indeed," I replied with a smile. "I'm sorry, I didn't get your name. I am Swirling Tides," I lie quickly. Hopefully changing the subject will distract from all the faults in my story.

"Nice to meet you, Swirling Tides. I am Healer Green Skies," he nodded his head properly. "Now, if you don't mind my asking, why are you out at such a late hour?"

"Oh, my partner and I are actually traveling," I explain. "We are driving to California to visit some friends. The hospital was on the way, and we figured it would be easier to just stop by on the trip, rather than come back another time."

"Of course! Well, I hope you've gotten what you were looking for. But next time, feel free to ask. We can always just pull a cyrotank from our stock inside. No need to look through boxes," he laughs.

"Thank you very much, Healer Green Skies." I nod, glad he bought it. "Nice meeting you."

"You too, Swirling Tides," he replied before strolling back towards the hospital. I sighed in relief before running back to the Jeep. When I opened the door, Ian immediately grabbed hold of me.

"Oh God, Wanda, don't ever do that again." He hugged me tightly. His lips lingered above mine, but he decided against it-Jared was right behind him after all. "But I'm glad you're okay."

"Thanks, Wanda. I should've been more careful," Jared says, looking at me gratefully.

"It's fine. I'm just glad the Healer wasn't very intelligent," I laugh. "I told him you were a collector who wanted a cyrotank."

"Seriously?" Ian chuckles, loosening up now that I'm safe.

"Yes. He was completely oblivious," I giggle. I slide into my seat beside Ian and close the door. Kyle starts to drive, leading us back towards the city, where I'll surely find a host. "Jared, will you help me with this?" I ask after we've gotten a good distance away. He looks back at me and nods solemnly, snatching his knife from his bag along with the cyrotank. Ian squeezes my hand. He opens his mouth to object, but decides against it. Maybe he's finally realized that Melanie is in danger and I'm not.

I lay down across the back seat, my head in Ian's lap. "Open your mouth," Jared commands. I do so and he slides a dissolving strip of No Pain inside. I feel his knife slide across my skin, but it only feels like a tickle. I close my eyes and breathe deeply.

"Wanda," Ian whispers.

"Yes?" I murmur.

"I love you," he says, kissing my hand.

"I love you too," I reply as his hand eases into my open wound. "Get Mel back for me, okay? I'll see you soon." I can feel myself disconnecting, my body easing off of Melanie's nerves. My mind seems to go blank and I can't feel anymore. I can't think.

I am nothing but a tiny worm in the hands of human I love, the beautiful, mindful being. I am a Soul.

* * *

**I know this wasn't a very exciting chapter, and I apologize. I could have started a lot of the action, but then the chapter would have been terribly long. Anyways, I'll post the next one soon. Please let me know what you think! Thanks for reading**


	8. Chapter 8

**Jared POV**

"Mel? Mel, come on," I say, shaking her gently. Ian's has moved away from her body and is now sitting in the front seat, Wanda's cyrotank tucked tightly in his arms. Jeb is driving in silence. Kyle is staring out the window, looking for a new host for Wanda.

We removed her about an hour ago, but Mel still hasn't responded. Jeb says that we need to give her a few hours; that's how it usually works. But I don't believe that. She should be awake by now. "Mel, baby, just wake up. I know you're in there. Please." I lean over and kiss her gently on her forehead, praying that she'll wake up soon.

"Jared, give it some time. She took a while last time to wake up. It won't be any different this time," Kyle says, though he seems just as worried.

"Shut up," I growl, not wanting to hear it. I place my hand over the tiny pink scar that runs along her neck, now freshly sealed. I stroke her hair softly, coaxing her up, but she doesn't move.

"We need to get her to Doc," I say, directing it to Jeb. "Now."

Jeb exchanges a look with Ian and sighs, "Jared, we can't. Not right now. We need to get Wanda back, too."

"Wanda can wait! She won't die in there. She _can't _die! Mel can, Jeb. She's actually _human_," I screech. Jeb stops the car and gives me a look of disappointment. Kyle shakes his head at me. And Ian . .

"What do you mean by that, Howe? Huh? You think just because she's human she's more important?" he says, his voice low but full of intensity. His fingers are gripping the cyrotank so hard that they're turning red.

"Yeah, you know what, I do!" I snarl back. "There's only a few humans left, O'Shea, and I'm not letting that number grow any smaller-especially not with Mel. But Wanda's a Soul, Ian! She's lived hundreds of years. Her dying won't be the worst thing that can happen. Besides, she's the enemy. Her species took over our planet! Is one of their lives really more important than one of ours? Than a _human _life?"

"You son of a bitch!" Ian screams, twisting around in his seat to face me better. "Wanda's more human than you'll ever be! She's sacrificed her life more times than you can count to save your worthless ass. She just willingly gave herself up _to _save Melanie! How do you not get that?"

"Are you forgetting that Mel is the one who gave up her body for the second damn time to save Wanda? When she would have easily let herself die in Pet's body? Melanie's just as selfless and kind. And she's human! Wanda's a parasite."

Someone's hand connects with my cheek, pain pulsing through my body. I cringe and look to see how threw the punch, when I come face to face with Melanie, sitting up and looking at me straight in the eyes. She's crying, her eyes puffy and red, and she looks more betrayed than ever. "Mel, I-"

"Don't," she whispers, climbing out of the back seat and next to Kyle. I reach for her but she swats me away.

Ian gives me one last angry glare before going over to Mel, asking her how she's feeling. "I'm fine," she whispers, looking away from me. She wipes the tears off of her face. "I just . . I'm sorry, Ian." She starts sobbing then, tears gushing out of her face like never before. Melanie's usually so strong, but right now, she seems so vulnerable.

"Hey, don't cry," Ian says, wrapping his arms around her. She leans into him, hiccuping against his skin. "You have nothing to apologize for, Mel. If anything, I should be apologizing to you. You saved Wanda when you could've died. You valued her life more than yours. That's something I can never repay you for."

Mel sniffs and pulls away, nodding slightly. "You don't need to. She would've done the same for me. And I wanted to do it. She's my best friend." She sniffs again and wipes at her eyes. I want to touch her skin, her lips, hear her talk to me. But she won't even look at me.

"I know," Ian says. "Do you . . . do you remember what happened? Where you were?"

Mel's eyes goes wide and she bites her lips. She looks out the window for a while before answering. "I was . . . nowhere. I don't know how to describe it. It was so different. I was just . . gone." Her voice is soft and low, like she doesn't want me to hear. I ache for her to talk to me.

"What do you mean? You weren't, like, conscious?"

"No . . . not really. I mean, I could think and everything, but I wasn't connected to Wanda, or what was going on. It was like I was pushed into this corner of my mind that was isolated from everything else." Mel shakes her head and looks at the glinting cylinder in Ian's hands. "Is she okay?"

"Yeah, she's fine. She wanted to make sure you were safe before we found her a new host."

Mel smiles at that, "Of course she did. She's Wanda." Even Ian laughs at that, Kyle too. I lean my head against the window and listen, hoping that she'll eventually come to me.

"Yeah . . . but about where you went. Didn't that happen before? Last year?"

Mel nods her head then runs a hand through her hair. "Yes, but that was different. It was the same kind of thing, but I wasn't exactly conscious. I didn't really know I was gone until I came back and realized it. But with this, it was like I knew I was gone, but didn't know how to get out."

"What do you think caused it?"

She sucks in deeply. "I thought about that a lot. I'm assuming it was some sort of response to having the insertion take place while I was awake. It must have been some sort of shock to my mind to have all of my nerves be taken over. It was just too much for my mind to handle, I guess."

Ian nods in understanding then leans back. "That makes sense. I'm sorry you had to go through that, Mel. I really am."

"I know. And thanks," she grins. "But we don't really need to talk about it anymore. Not right now, at least. We need to find Wanda a new host."

* * *

**Mel POV**

After about an hour or so, we reach a large, populated city. Jeb, Kyle, and Ian are keeping watch for any potential hosts. Jared's sitting in the back, angrily. I turn around and crawl into the seat beside him. He perks up and opens his mouth, ready to apologize. I hold up my hand before he can. "Don't say it, Jared. I don't want to hear about how you were just scared about me; how you didn't really mean it; that you weren't thinking straight. I'm sick of those lies, Jared. If you really cared about Wanda, you would never even _think _like that, let alone say those things."

He reaches his hand out to mine, but I pull away. "But that's the truth, Mel. You know I love Wanda. I just . . . I was scared that you would die at her expense. And I wasn't going to let that happen!" He leans forward, his eyes filled with regret. But I don't believe it.

"Jared, stop. You always say that. But you know that it's not true. No matter how much you think you care about Wanda, I know you can't stand the fact that she's a Soul."

"Mel-"

"Just listen!" she says forcefully, looking me straight in the eyes. "Ever since she first got her, you've hated her because of what she was. Even after you realized all the good inside of her. Even after she saved Jamie's life when she could have easily escaped. Despite the fact that you knew how truly pure she was, you just couldn't look past the fact that she's a Soul. That she's part of a race of invaders." He kept silent, and I knew that I was dead on. "Tell me that, if Wanda was a human, you would still dislike her. Tell me that you would treat her as a lesser even if she was human. Tell me that, Jared, and I'll believe you."

Tears splatter across my face, but I don't move. I keep my eyes locked on his, waiting for him to open his mouth and say something. But he doesn't. He just looks down at his hands, shaking his head slightly. He takes my hand-I'm too nervous to swat him away-and kisses it softly. "I can't tell you that, Mel."

I swallow hard and blink fast, sucking in a shaky breath. He squeezes my hand but I pull it away, regaining my thoughts. "You would love her, wouldn't you? If she was human, you'd treat the same." I cup my hand over my mouth to keep from crying, but it doesn't work.

He nods and I can see the pain in his face. He wishes I was wrong. He wishes that he disliked Wanda for other reasons besides her species. But he doesn't. "I'm sorry, Mel. I just can't get passed the fact that she's one of them."

"Please, just stop, Jared," I say, turning away from him. I crawl back into the front seat, where Ian reaches out his hand for me. I take it and lean against him, Wanda's cyrotank resting cozily between us. I look down at it and smile slightly, knowing that-despite my troubles with Jared-I would have someone to trust real soon.

"Mel?" Ian says softly, making sure not to upset me anymore. He had obviously heard my conversation with Jared and wasn't happy about it, but was keeping quiet for my sake.

"Yes?" I murmur.

"I think I found a host."


	9. Chapter 9

**Mel's POV**

It's early morning now, the sun peeking above the horizon as if its hiding. Kyle has stopped the car in a secluded alley so that we can get ready. Ian and I are going to be the ones who take the Soul, and we're still working on the strategy. "I think that we should just ask her for help. Directions or something?" Ian suggests. He's keeping an eye on the girl he picked out, who's sitting on the front porch of a small house, reading a book.

"I don't know. She doesn't seem like the kind of girl that would talk to strangers," I say, studying her carefully.

"She's a Soul, Melanie. Nobody's a stranger to them. I'm sure whatever we say will work," Ian laughs. I've never heard him talk about a Soul like that. He usually avoids the word completely, especially around Wanda.

"Oh, right," I nod my head. Sometimes I forget that Souls are so trusting, that they don't worry about lies or deception. "Then I guess that's fine. We'll ask her to come to our car," I agree. I turn briefly towards the back of the jeep, where Jared's sitting with his head in his hands. I don't even feel guilty.

"Are you ready?" Ian asks, sliding the door open. I nod and follow him out. Jeb tells us good luck before I shut the door. I slide a pair of sunglasses over my eyes as Ian does the same.

We walk a couple feet down the street, making casual, Soul-like conversation, trying to act normal. The girl's gaze doesn't shift at all at the sound of our voices.

"Oh, excuse me!" I say, once we reach her porch. The girl's head pops up, a little shocked, and she studies us for a moment. Now that I'm up close, and can see her better. She has soft brown hair that sways across her back, hanging in loose waves. Her cheeks are freckled and her lips are the color of cherries. Her eyes are rimmed with silver, but I can make out the lovely green behind it.

"Yes?" she asks. She sounds like Wanda: warm and comforting. Her eyes flash to the sunglasses on our faces, but she doesn't say anything.

"We're traveling and we think we might be lost. We're trying to get to the school, but our friend gave us the wrong directions. Could you maybe help us?" I ask, keeping my voice measured. I try to put on my best friendly smile, but it makes me feel uncomfortable.

"Oh," the girl says, placing her book flat on the steps. "Of course. I'm Daisies in the Sky." I raise my eyebrows at the name, but cover it with a large grin.

"Pleasure to meet you, Daisies. I'm Mel-Melody Trees," I say, almost laughing aloud at the stupid name. The girl furrows her brow but then relaxes her face. "And this is my brother . . ."

"Dark Fires," Ian adds. I can see he's trying to hide a grin as well, but he plays it off better than I do.

"Nice to meet you both. If you're heading for the school, you're going to want to turn lef-"

"Sorry, could you write this down? We both have horrible memories," I laugh.

The girl stares at us in confusion for a moment. I belatedly realize I interrupted her-a very un-Soul thing to do. Before I can apologize, she says, "Of course. Do you have some paper?"

"Yes, right inside of our car. You can just come with us," I say. The girl glances back and forth between Ian and I before standing up. She's average in height, with curvy hips and what look like muscled arms. Wanda will appreciate that, though I know Ian won't. It was his choice though.

Daisies follows us over to where the car is parked. I open up the back door, and pull out a notepad. I hand it to her and she begins writing. While she's focused on the page, Ian grabs her from behind and pulls her into the Jeep. The girl screams, but Kyle helps cover her mouth. "Wait!" she keeps repeating, studying Kyle's eyes carefully. "Please wait!"

Jeb has chloroform ready to spray, but I hold up my hand. I shut the door and grab hold of the girl's legs, helping to steady her. "Please, just listen!" Daisies cries and I glance at Ian.

I can see the pain in his eyes, knowing that we're hurting this Soul. As much as we all hate most Souls, we worry that there are more Souls out there like Wanda and that we'll hurt them by mistake. "Please," she cries, tears slipping down her face. Ian nods slightly. Daisies relaxes. She slides her hand out of his grip and touches it to her eye. I stare at her in confusion, but don't make a move to hold her down. Even Jared's stopped in his sulking to watch.

Daisies pulls at the inside of her eye, the silver in them shifting. "What-" I start before finally understanding. The girl pulls a transparent disc, wrapped in silver, out of her eye before linking up at us. "I'm human," she says, sounding relieved. Kyle and Ian immediately release their grips, allowing the girl to sit up.

"I'm sorry," I respond immediately, peeling off my sunglasses. "Are you okay?" I ask her.

She rubs her arms where the boys had pulled at her, but nods. She then proceeds to remove the other contact from her left eye, blinking hard. "I'm fine. I'm just glad you guys din't kill me or something," she laughs. Nobody else does.

"How did you-how did you get those?" Ian asks, studying the contacts in her hands carefully.

"Drive first," she says promptly. "I'll explain in a second." Kyle stares at her in disbelief for a moment more before turning the car on again and pulling out of the lot. Once she's satisfied, she speaks again. "I was training to be an eye doctor when the Souls took over. I did a lot of work with contacts and such in medical school. When the Souls came . . . I realized that one of the only distinguishable traits between them and humans was their eyes. And their scar of course. So, I worked for hours transforming all the contacts I could find into fake-Soul ones. It was very hard, but it paid off. I cut my neck up, too, to blend in. I just wear them each day and try to keep my temper," she rolls her eyes.

"You're serious? Oh my god, that's brilliant!" I exclaim.

"Not really. They're not even that close to what Soul eyes look like, if you look close. I have to still be careful. But it's worked for the past few years." She shrugs, as if not really carrying about her accomplishments. "Oh, and I'm Cassie, by the way. What's your name, Melody Trees?" she laughs, looking at me.

"Oh, I'm Melanie. This is Ian, Kyle, Jeb, and, uh, Jared." She nods. An awkward moment follows, nobody sure of what to say. "Sorry, why did you take me, though?" Cassie finally asks, seeming not so interested with sharing her own story.

"Oh," Ian says. "We needed a body . . ," he says carefully, hoping the girl will understand.

She stares at him in confusion. "Why the hell would you need a human body?" Cassie leans back in her seat and studies him carefully. Her eyes catch site of the cyrotank, glowing brightly in his lap. "Were you going to remove the Soul? Can you do that?" she gets excited all of the sudden. She might have figured out how to fool the Souls, but not how to remove them.

"Well, yes, but that's not what we need it for. We have done that though," I say, helping Ian. She locks her eyes on the cyrotank, confused.

"Then why?"

"To save our friend, Wanda."

Cassie shakes her head, still confused. "I don't get it."

Ian swallows hard before looking her in the eyes, now just plain green. I know he hates this part; he hates the judgement that comes with it, the automatic hatred for Wanda. It makes me cringe just as much. "She's a Soul. And we need to find her a body."

* * *

**PLOT TWIST! I'm guessing you guys did not see that coming? Well, we will get Wanda a body soon, just not yet. I wanted to make their search for a host a little bit harder :) **


	10. Chapter 10

**Mel POV**

Cassie glances at the cyrotank once again, her eyes narrowing, as if she still didn't understand. She stares at it for a long moment before turning to face Ian. Her expression softens. "Okay," she said. My jaw drops in surprise and I turn to look at Jared, only to remember that I am still angry at him. I quickly turn back away.

"Okay? That's it?" Ian asks, incredulous. Nobody's ever responded quite like that to the news about Wanda.

She shrugs her shoulders, raises her eyebrows. "Yeah. If you say she's your friend, then you should help her."

Ian and I lock eyes and share a look of confusion. Was this girl sane? "Umm . . yeah, but you do realize she's a _Soul. _Like, not human," I remind her, almost laughing.

"Of course I realize that. You just said so," Cassie sighed.

"But don't you think that we shouldn't trust her? Or that she's our enemy? Or something like that?" Ian asks, still in disbelief.

Cassie looked down at her lap and bit her lip. "Pretending to be a Soul for so many years really changes your perspective on them. Many of them are very nice, in fact. I was friends with some of them. Even more than friends." She casts her eyes towards Ian. I can see a bit or regret in her eyes; maybe she wishes she hadn't left with us. "They just want to live, you know? It's not their faults that they're parasites, that they don't have a body. It's just how they are. You can't judge them for that because they have no control over it.

"A lot of them are terrible, I'll admit that. And yes, they are the enemies. But only a few, like the Seekers. Everybody else is just kind of following the rules, doing what they know. How can I hate someone for their species?" Cassie turned towards the window, as if embarrassed by her feelings.

As much as it was out of character for me, I leaned in and hugged her. She seemed shocked at first, but even relaxed in my grip. She must've been so afraid we were against the Souls, that her feelings would be criticized. "I'm really glad you feel that way," I smile, pulling back. "Most humans don't understand that; they don't see how Souls are helpless to what they are." I look towards Jared, hoping he heard Cassie loud and clear. He's staring out the window, his face blank of emotion.

She nods and then looks at Ian. "So, we should get her a body, right?" Her expression completely changes. She doesn't look as vulnerable anymore, as open about her feelings. Now she's all action.

He smiles wide, probably glad to have another person on his side for once. "Yeah." Cassie winks at him before sitting back in her seat.

"I know the perfect place to go," she says, directing Kyle to turn left.

* * *

"What is this place?" I ask as we pull into a seemingly deserted, crystal white building. It looks similar to a hospital but less . . . welcome. Cassie easily slips out of her seat and opens the door, ignoring my question. Ian raises his eyebrows at me and I shrug.

"Well, come on!" she calls, gesturing to us. Kyle and Jeb start to come out, but Cassie holds a hand out to them. "Sorry, boys, but you're on watch duty. Seekers don't come around here for another hour or two, but we should be careful." With that, she shuts the car door and leads us behind the building. "There's a lot of security here, but I should be able to get us in easily. Souls are so trusting, that it shouldn't be a problem. Plus," she pauses, shuffling through her pockets. She holds up a small badge with her fake name printed on it, "I'm a 'certified Healer.'" This girl definitely had it all figured out.

"So . . . where are we exactly?" Ian repeats my question. Cassie swipes her card in front of the back door and it clicks open. She pulls it forward and lets us through.

"The storage center," she replies, now seeming a bit grim. Whatever this place is, she doesn't like it. "It's where . . . well, you'll see." Ian sucks in his breath but follows her through. I don't see how this place is going to get us a new host. But Cassie seems confident, and I'd feel bad stopping her now. "Oh, shit!" she says, stopping in the middle of a hallway. She grabs a small contact case out of her pocket and clumsily puts the lenses into her eyes. She blinks in irritation before pulling another case out and handing it towards me. "Put these in."

I stare at her doubtingly, but reluctantly open the contact case. Ian does the same. I've never had contacts, and I'm very grateful for that. They're very uncomfortable, especially with the silver color tunneling my vision. It takes a few minutes before I can actually make out blurry shapes.

Once we're disguised, Cassie leads us through a few hallways. We pass a few Souls who regard us with warm smiles and nods. Cassie blends right in from her years of practice. Ian and I struggle slightly, but act about as peaceful as we can. Nobody seems to even notice.

"Okay, here is the tricky part," Cassie says. We approach a doorway labeled **NEW** in big, bold letters. A Soul is standing right beside the door, blocking the entrance. "Just follow me, okay? Don't do anything stupid." I take a deep, shaky breath. I don't know what all this means, but I have a terrible feeling about it.

Cassie walks casually up to the Soul guarding the door. "Hello, Healer. I'm Daisies in the Sky." She holds up her badge for emphasis. "These are my two interns. They are training to be excellent Healers, specializing in insertion. I was wondering if I could, perhaps, show them inside?"

The Healer smiles at her before regarding us. I smile widely, unnatural to me. "Yes, of course. I just need to see some identification for them. Not that I don't trust you," he laughs. "It's just the rules."

"Of course," Cassie says smoothly. My eyes widen in panic. We don't have identification, let alone ones that back up our story. But Cassie seems to have it all figured out. She pulls two badges, simliar to her own, out of her pocket and hands them over to the Healer. "They're not complete, of course, since they're still in training. But they state the basics."

"Yes," the Healer says, examining the cards. "Swaying Leaves?" he asks, looking at me. I nod stiffly, hoping I don't look to shocked. "And Ocean Dancer?" I almost burst out laughing as the man regards Ian. Ian glares at Cassie in anger, but nods. Ocean Dancer. Gotta love these Soul names. "Well, thank you Healer Daisies. Enjoy your tour, interns."

The Healer unlocks the door for us. I breathe a sigh of relief, shocked that that was all it took. As much as I love Wanda, I can't argue that Souls aren't gullible. They'll fall for anything.

Once we're safely inside, I ask Cassie, "How did you have those ready? The cards?"

"Oh, I always come prepared for situations like this. Trust me, this isn't the first time I've needed to get into somewhere I'm not allowed," she says, a devious grin on her face. I'm glad that she didn't end up being a Soul. If Wanda were in this body, it would be too weird; Cassie's a little to mischievous.

There's a second door inside that opens easily. Behind it is a large white room, filled with rows and rows of metal tables. A top of each table is a body, dressed in a traditional hospital gown and cleaned to the toe. I suddenly feel like I'm suffocating, standing in a room, alive, amongst all these poor, humans. I ache to save them.

Ian looks slightly more horrified, but manages to speak. "What is this?" he asks, turning around in a circle to get a full look.

Cassie lets out a remorseful breath. "I told you, the Storage center."

* * *

**AHHHHH! Okay, so as you can see, we will get a host very soon! The idea of the Storage center is a little creepy, but I feel like it would be reality in the Souls world. They have to keep all their captured humans somewhere, right?**  
**Anyways, I'm going on vacation so I probably won't have another chapter up for a week or two. sorrryyy :( But when I get back, it will be up immediately!**

**OH AND THE HOST MOVIE COMES OUT NEXT FRIDAY SO I'M SUPER EXCITED ALKSJGOWLDKFOW. Let me know if you're going and what you thought of it :) **


	11. Chapter 11

**Mel POV**

I look at Ian, studying him intently. He looks uncomfortable, his face pinched tightly together, his eyes scanning the room in anger. I feel the same.

"Can we save them?" I whisper to Cassie, leaning over a young boy, strapped on the table. Maybe we could take him back, wake him up. He could make a great friend for Jamie.

"I'm afraid not," Cassie sighs, leaning against a wall. She plays mindlessly with the hem of her shirt. "They've been in this . . . . state for too long. I've tried before, but their minds are gone by now."

I nod in understanding but disappointment builds within me, paining each step. I wander through the maze of crisp, silver tables, studying the faces of the humans curiously. "Why are they here?" Ian blurts out, looking harshly at Cassie. He may be desperate for a host for Wanda, but he definitely did not think that he'd find one this way.

Cassie brushes a stray piece of hair from her face and preoccupies herself with it, trying not to make eye contact. "I guess you could say they're, like, 'on deck.' The Seekers are capturing humans at a rapid rate, but they only receive new Souls every week or so. It takes a long time to fly them between planets. When they capture humans, they put them in this sort of . . comatose state for days-even weeks-until they have a Soul to insert into them." I bite my lip, not liking the sound of that. Ian seems even more disturbed. He hates it when people talk about the logistics of Souls since it reminds him of his differences with Wanda.

"So they can't wake up?" Cassie shakes her head. "Then, how did I wake up? I mean, I must've been in one of these storage places, too," I question.

I've made my way about halfway across the room, right between two lifeless women. One has shiny red hair that drips across her hospital gown, a burst of color. The other is a bit older, with dark, caramel skin. I shudder.

"Not everybody is taken here. Humans that are injured or maybe more resistant are taken for insertion immediately. The injured ones are healed right before insertion, as to make the process simpler. The resistant ones are taken to insertion as to avoid any problems with, say, waking up or staying conscious. It's rare, but it does happen. The Seekers take large precautions with them." I think about how I was one of those cases; the glaring look that Wanda's and my Seeker gave us, how she wished so deeply to kill me off.

"So all these humans here didn't resist? They just gave in?" The idea appalls me. How could any human just give up to these creatures, surrender their life willingly?

"Maybe, maybe not. Sometimes they don't have a chance. Seekers might take them in their sleep or spray them with Sleep. They aren't always captured in action-packed chase scenes," Cassie almost laughs.

I try to understand how this all works: they take the more risky humans immediately and just _store _the safe ones for a while, until they're needed. The thought makes me hate the Souls even more. How can they treat humans like they're inanimate things, just stuffing them in a storage room until they become of use?

"This is just how they do it. I don't know," Cassie shrugs. "I found out about it a year ago from this . . . friend of mine who was a Seeker. He told me about how, though there are millions of Souls, they can only insert them so fast." I'm suddenly thankful to the lengthy travel required for Souls between planets. If it wasn't for them, so many more humans would be the home to parasites right now. Maybe, someday, we'll be able to save them all. Release them from this storage room and give them their freedom back. But right now, we can only save Wanda.

"Okay," I say quietly. "We should start looking right? If none of them are going to wake up, we could insert Wanda right here, right?"

Ian looks up at me and shakes his head. "I don't want her to see this. She'll feel guilty," he says, walking up and down another aisle.

"Oh, yeah," I agree. Wanda would see these humans and probably start crying, blaming herself for everything. It's better to wait till we get back to the caves, I guess. "Well, we should still go quickly. Who knows how long till one of those Healers comes to check on us."

"You're right," Cassie says. "I'll keep an eye on the door. Once you find an, um, host, let me know. I'll tell you how to disconnect them." I hadn't realized it until she said so, but all the humans were hooked up to their tables, wired in with monitors and such. Faint green lights blinked under the tables, probably signaling that they're alive. I cringed, but started to look.

I found a girl with chocolate brown hair and lovely, red lips, but she was much too small. Wanda would kill me if I found her another host that wasn't physically capable of hard work. I looked down at the body and wondered what she was like as a human. Maybe a college student, studying literature. I could picture her at a library, reading a thick book, her brown hair twisted in a messy bun. She might've had a boyfriend, someone who was trapped in this room as well. There are so many possibilities to what her past might've been, but I'll never know. She'll never wake up.

It feels as if I'm going shopping, but in the most disturbing way. It's as if I'm buying a gift for someone I love. I hate the gift, the thought of it disgusts me, but I know that buying it will be the only thing that makes that person happy. Wanda's the person, and the body is the gift.

I move on to the next row and find someone, maybe about 25 years old. She has short, black hair and an angular face. She's very beautiful, but definitely not Wanda. Too harsh looking.

"Mel," Ian calls. He's on the other end of the room, looking down at a table, hope in his eyes. I smile and race over to where he's standing. "What do you think about her?" I glance quizzically at the girl sprawled across the table, wearing just a think hospital gown, her body spotless. She has long, willowy limbs that stretch across the table. They aren't too thin, though; I can see the harsh indents of muscles under her arms and legs, perfect for working down in the caves. Her hair is an auburn color, not exactly brown but not really red. The color of autumn leaves or faded bricks. It falls in soft waves across her body, stopping around her chest. Wanda never liked her hair long, but I think she'd appreciate this length. Her lips are a pastel pink, contrasting her hair but in a pleasant way. Her skin is unblemished, impeccable, silk ivory that almost sparkles under the light.

I look up at Ian and smile, already picturing Wanda inhabiting this body, speaking through those lips, moving those legs. "I think she's perfect." He nods vacantly, staring down at the girl on the table. She's maybe about twenty-three, a nice age. She'll live a long life beside Ian, Jamie, me and the rest of the group.

"Cassie," I say, tilting my head towards her. She perks up from where she's leaning against the door and hustles over. When she reaches us she looks down at the body studiously. "She seems great," she murmurs, shrugging her shoulders. All of Cassie's uneasiness seems to have melted away. She bends down to fidget with the machine under the table. She clicks some buttons, types some numbers, and the green light flickers off. I worry that the girl might die, but Cassie assures me its fine. "The light just means that she's stabilized, that the machine is reading her and such. I've almost disconnected her completely." She toys with some wires for another minute or so. Finally, she gently unwraps a heavy band from around the girl's ankle, which was connected to the machines. "Okay!" She smiles, looking at Ian. "She's good to go. I set it up so that it looks like the girl had her insertion yesterday and that she was removed by some random Healer. Nobody should suspect anything. All we have to do is carry her out. We're going to take her out through the backdoor, put her in the car, and then exit the way we came."

Ian and I both nod in agreement. I take Wanda's cyrotank from him so that he can lift the girl up. He cradles her in his arms and smiles. He must be imagining this happening down in the caves: Wanda falling asleep in Jamie's room by accident and Ian carrying her off to their room, looking down at her calm, sleeping face. The thought makes me grin.

"Over here," Cassie says, directing us towards the back of the room. There's a locked doorway, but she easily unlocks it with her keycard. "They use this door to drop off new . . . catches. Luckily, it leads right out to the parking lot!"

"Why didn't we just enter that way, then?" I ask, confused. It would have made things a lot simpler.

"Because it only opens from inside. There are no handles on the outside for security reasons."

"Oh," I say, tapping my foot. I'm anxious to get out of this creepy place and get Wanda back. Cassie flings the door open and lets Ian walk through, then me. She stays by the door, though, holding it open for us.

"We'll be back in a second." We quickly locate the van and walk up to it. I look around nervously for Seekers, but the lot is empty albeit a few stray cars. The door pops open and I see Jeb, smiling wide. "Got ourselves a girl, huh?" He lets Ian lay the girl across the back seat and I can see everybody staring at her wonderingly, even Jared.

"We have to go out the other way. We'll be right back," I assure them, shutting the door. We dash back towards the door where Cassie is standing. She lets us in and we quickly exit the storage room. The Healer from before nods at us and says, "Thank you for visiting!" Cassie returns a comment before leading us back the way we came.

We're at the door when somebody stops us. "Excuse me, Healer Daisies? Can I have a word with you?" A Seeker is standing behind us, looking at us inquisitively.

Cassie glances at us nervously, but faces the Seeker. "Yes, of course. Do you mind if my interns leave, though? They have class in a few minutes, and I wouldn't want them to be late."

The Seeker laughs and nods, "Of course! I wouldn't want to keep them from learning about the wonders of Healing!" I snap my head at Cassie, who is no shaking like crazy.

"One second, please," I tell the Seeker, pulling Cassie aside. "What are you doing?" I ask her.

"It's fine. She probably just has some stupid question. I'll meet you guys in the car," she assures us.

"Are you sure?" She's hesitant, but she nods eventually.

"I'll be fine. Just, go!" she says before walking back towards the Seeker.

Ian and I leave the building and pile into the Jeep. We never see Cassie again.

* * *

**Okay so sorry for the long wait! No wifi on vacation :( But hopefully this chapter makes up for it. I wanted to keep Cassie in, but to do all this with no problems, it would have been impossible. So Cassie is maybe investigated or something? I don't know. Maybe I'll add in what happened to her later. We'll see. **

**Anyway, let me know what you think is going to happen! I'm so grateful for all the reviews I've been getting lately; they make my day! Thanks so much and hope you enjoyed.**

**P.S. SEEING THE HOST TODAY! LAKSDJGOAWKSLDFK **


	12. Cassie Extra

**So, this is not an actual chapter. After many requests, I decided to right a short scene that describes what happened to Cassie. I'll try to have the next chapter up by Saturday, though, but hopefully this will hold you over :)**

***YOU DO NOT NEED TO READ THIS TO UNDERSTAND THE STORY***

Cassie watched as Ian and Melanie headed off to the car. She turned her attention back to the Seeker, grinning. "Thank you, Seeker. Now, what do you wish to talk about?" She had pretended to be a Soul for so long, acting like one has become second nature.

"Oh, we just have to verify your position as Healer. Standard procedure," the Seeker waved her hand. Cassie had never had to do anything like this, but maybe it was some sort of new system. She shrugged and followed the Seeker back inside. "We just have to run your identification through the system to verify that you're allowed access into the storage center. Our security system was just updated-new technology!" The Souls were developing new technology at a rapid pace, so this comment didn't surprise Cassie.

"I just need to scan your card," the Seeker smiled, tapping something into the computer.

"Of course," she replied. She shuffled through her pockets until she found the correct identification card, the one with her status as Healer. The Seeker swiped it through the machine and clicked some buttons.

"Hmm . ." the Seeker noted.

"What?" Cassie asked. She was sure the identification card would work; she'd used it so many times before without a problems. After years of sneaking around the Seeker's eyes, she couldn't possibly be discovered _now. _Not after she's found a large resistance group. "Is there something troubling, Seeker?" she said, trying her best not to sound nervous. Soul's weren't nervous; souls never lied.

The Seeker studied her computer for a moment before turning to Cassie. "Nothing wrong, Daisies. Everything is in check. You're just due for your annual checkup at the hospital. Healer's must have the best health, you know!" Cassie sighed with relief.

"Oh, of course. Can I schedule an appointment?" Cassie asked, getting tense. She wanted to get out of here already. Stupid security system, stupid annual checkup. Her new friends were waiting in the car, on their way to a group of _humans! _Her body itched to be close to another human, to talk freely and express something besides kindness all the time.

"Oh, why don't we just give you a check up now? It will be very quick!" The Seeker insisted.

Cassie started to protest, but the Seeker was already calling a Healer down. Souls can't argue, so Cassie knew better to speak out. She prayed that Melanie would wait for her.

"Daisies, this is Healer Willows. She will give you a checkup; make sure everything is in order."

Cassie nodded in thanks and followed the Healer down the hall. They reached a room, sparkling clean, silver lines and white walls. The Healer did a quick introduction, checked her eyes and ears, her heart rate and such. Cassie thought the inspection was almost over and breathed a sigh of relief, just as Healer Willows held up a small device. "I'm just going to check that all your nerves are in tact."

Nerves? As in the nerves that a Soul has, the ones that connect to the brain and such. But Cassie wasn't a Soul; she was human. "Of-Of course," Cassie stuttered. The Healer brushed her hair aside, revealing her neck. A small, fake red scar that Cassie had made herself. Willows held the device over her neck. A clear, rosemary-scented mist dotted Cassie's skin. The Healer than clicked a button and scanned her neck. Cassie shivered.

"Hmm, this is strange. It is saying that all of your nerves are disconnected. But that can't be right; I mean, you're talking to me!" The Healer laughed. She scanned the device again. And again. Each time, her face scrunched up even more in confusion. Finally, she stepped back. "Miss Daisies, I'm afraid that there is a problem. We're going to have to perform a surgery immediately. We will go in and check that all your connections are working, since our devices in unable to pick it up. I'm sorry."

At that moment, Cassie knew that she was done. They would cut open her neck, searching for a little, silver worm, and find nothing. And then they would put one inside of her. She might coexist with the Soul inside of her, or she might vanish away like most. She didn't know which, but she prayed that she would just die. She didn't want to bear the pain of being in a body that you can't control, in a world that has been taken control of.

**Okay, so that wasn't my best work. But basically, I wanted to get the point across that they simply had to check her out and found out she wasn't a Soul. Hope that satisfied some people's needs? Let me know what you thought. Thanks! **


	13. Chapter 12

The whole way back to the caves, I feel like I'm about to burst. After waiting for almost two hours, Cassie never came out of the storage center. We had no choice but to leave; the longer we waited, the sooner we'd be discovered. I let out a few shaky tears as we left, hoping that she was safe. Maybe they just wanted to ask her somethings; maybe she'll make it back home and continue her life as an impostor Soul. I prayed that a Soul wasn't inserted into her. And if one was, I hoped she was as kind as Wanda.

Wanda's soon-to-be host is laying across mine and Ian's laps, her cyrotank tight in his hands. His foot has been tapping for the past few hours. He's so anxious to get Wanda back. Jared's sitting in the back, but I can feel his stare burning into me, begging for forgiveness. Jeb and Kyle are still up front, navigating their way through the desert.

"How long do you we have, Jeb?" I ask, knowing that Ian would like to hear the answer. When we first got into the Jeep, Ian wanted to insert Wanda immediately. But we all protested. As much as we love Wanda, we know that it'd be safer for Doc to insert her in the comfort of the caves. "We can give her No Pain, Ian," I told him. "If we do it here, she'll be hurting." That shut him up.

"Eh, less than an hour," he answers, tilting his head back and forth. "Why don't y'all rest for a little bit? It's been quite the trip." And that is has been. What with meeting Lynn and Cassie, losing Wanda and then myself. It is all so much to take in.

"Okay. Wake me up when we're close," I say. I lean my head against the window and try to fall asleep. Thoughts of Jared seep into my mind, making me restless. I want to stay mad at him, but it's becoming nearly impossible. I ache for his arms around me, his voice saying my name. But how can I forgive him if he's never going to accept Wanda completely? Even Kyle's come around. I sighed and prayed that he'd change his opinion before closing my eyes and falling asleep.

* * *

"Mel!" somebody says. Rough hands are shaking my shoulders gently, easing me out of my sleep. "Come on, Melanie." Jared. Jared's shaking me. I quickly open my eyes and wiggle out of his grasp. The side door is open and Jared is standing in front of it. He looks at me, obviously hurt, and opens his mouth. He thinks better of it and shuts it before walking away. I bite my lip before slipping out of the Jeep.

Kyle, Jeb and Ian-with the girl in arms-are already standing around, getting ready to make a run for it. "You sleep okay?" Ian asks me. I can tell from the look on his face that he didn't rest at all. I nod solemnly and stand at the edge of the formation. "Here," he says before we start running, handing me Wanda's cyrotank. It's probably hard to carry both the tank and the girl at the same time. I take it and wrap both arms around it, just to be safe.

"Go!" Kyle calls. He bursts ahead and out of the caves, running against the hot Desert wind. We all follow, making our way under the dry, night sky, a blanket of cover. Seekers haven't bothered us in ages, but we always make sure to be safe, just in case.

After a few minutes of breathless sprinting, we reach the cave entrance. I lean my hands on my knees and breath out a few quick breaths, trying to get my heart rate down to normal. Ian's placed the girl on the floor and is taking a sip of water. He offers it to me and I drink gratefully, the water trickling down my throat and filling me with satisfaction. "Thanks."

"Mel!" Somebody calls and I turn around to see Jamie, bustling towards me. He slams me into a hug, squeezing tight. "We were all so worried! You'd been gone for so long. We thought . . we-"

"Shh," I say, stroking his head. "It's okay. It's alright, Jamie. We're back now." I pull back and smile at him, looking into his clear, relieved eyes.

He smiles and looks around at everyone. Jeb rustles his hair. Jared gives him a pat on the shoulder, while Kyle just nods at him. He's grinning back at them before he notices someone's missing. "Mel . . . " he says nervously, his lips quivering. "Where's Wanda?"

I look away for a moment, making sure Ian's a good distance away. From this view, in this light, it's hard to see the girl's form laying against the rock walls, Ian crouched over her. Jamie must not have noticed her. "Jamie, something happened on the trip."

"No," he whispers. "NO!" His voice is trembling, his eyes watering, his cheeks shaking.

"Jamie, shh. It's fine. She's here, okay? She's . . well, she's alive," I say. I'm not sure how exactly to explain this without him making assumptions. He looks at me in confusion and I wrap my arm around his back. "Come on. I'll explain it all to you, but we need to let the group know, as well."

He hesitates for a moment before walking with me down through the tunnels. I tilt my head back to see Ian carrying the girl, slowly making his way down the hall. I still have the cyrotank in my hands and I try to keep it out of Jamie's view.

When we reach a fork in the caves, we turn towards the dining area. Ian heads towards his room, probably to set the girl down on a bed, let her rest properly.

"Mel!" Sunny calls, barreling into me as we enter. Kyle is standing beside her, grinning wide. The two have grown quite fond of each other over the year, despite Kyle's desperation to get Jodi back. Sunny keeps searching for her, but it seems that she's too long gone. Kyle, though depressed by it, has moved on and come to like Sunny. Maybe even love her.

"Hey, Sunny," I smile, hugging her back. She likes Wanda much more-mostly due to their similarities when it comes to being Souls-but Sunny has become a good friend. "How are you doing?"

She runs her hands through her hair, nervous. "I . . I was really scared for a while. I thought that maybe, that maybe Kyle was taken."

"I know, Sunny. I'm sorry we took so long. It won't happen again, I promise," I assure her. She nods in thanks and returns to Kyle.

A few more people welcome me back, telling me how worried they are. Ian enters later and everybody turns to him, expecting to see Wanda at his side. But he's alone. The room grows quite, the sound of greetings dying down."Wanda?" Doc looks between him and me, all wondering the same thing. I purse my lips and stare at Ian. "How about everybody sits down and we can explain."

Nobody moves. They all seem to stunned or too heartbroken. I quickly remember how Jamie reacted and add, "She's fine! She's fine, okay? We just had some . . . problems." I hold up the glowing cyrotank in my hands. Slowly, people sink down into their seats, complying to understand.

We then dive into telling them about what happened: how we found Lynn's group and she shot Wanda, how I forced Ian to insert Wanda into me to save her. How I went away for a long time while Wanda was inside of my brain. How Pet's body-Macy-was really Lynn's daughter. How we fled from the group to find a new body, desperate to save myself. Ian, Jared, Kyle, Jeb and I all jumped in, explaining different sections. We left out the part about Cassie, though. We had all agreed on that in the car. Telling them that we lost a human would only make things worse, and it wasn't necessary to the story. I fabricated the lie, simply them that we found the girl on the streets and that she didn't wake up.

"Is she okay? Wanda?" Jamie asked, concerned. He had already made sure I was fine after telling them about how I wasn't conscious during Wanda's insertion. Now he looked even more worried.

"Yeah, she'll be fine, Jamie."

"But . . she got shot. Is she hurt at all or-"

"Jamie," I said, looking into his eyes sadly. "You have to remember that she's a Soul. She felt the bullet, but it wasn't _her _body that was hurt. As soon as she was put inside of me, she felt fine. I promise." Jamie looked down at the ground, feeling slightly ashamed. Sometimes it's easy to forget that Wanda isn't like us.

"Did she willingly let you insert her, Melanie?" Doc asks after a long silence. I pop my head up and looking at him. Ian looks away and walks over to the wall, not wanting to discuss this. Everybody knows that Wanda would have gladly died then and there to save me.

"She wasn't conscious," I murmur. "When the bullet hit, the body died almost immediately. She didn't have any living nerves to connect to, so she herself was unconscious." Despite this, everybody could tell that Wanda must've been angry about it. I remember how Wanda said that she hated me for giving up my body, even though I never thought she was capable of hate. She had apologized quickly after, but still. She was so angered that I'd sacrifice myself for her when all she does is sacrifice herself for me.

"Well, I suppose we should get her back inside of a body," Doc suggests, clapping his hands together. Everybody nods, even those who still hold grudges against Wanda like Maggie. Even she can't deny Wanda's worthiness to live.

"She's in my room," Ian says to Doc. "Mel?" he asks, gesturing towards the cyrotank in my arms. I hand it to him and he hugs it tightly before heading down the hall with Doc. The others slowly stand up and start talking, dispersing about the caves, back to their usual lives. Jared looks at me and I hold his gaze for a moment before pulling away. I can't bear to look at him right now.

"Come on, Jamie. Let's go wait for her to wake up," I tell him, following Doc and Ian.

* * *

"My Wanderer," Ian whispers. He's leaning over a cot in the hospital. Wanda's new body is atop of it, long arms and legs taking up the whole space. Jamie, Doc and I are all standing around. We figured that we didn't need a huge crowd like last time; we didn't want to shock her. Doc had only inserted her a minute ago, but Ian was already anxious for her to wake up.

The insertion was beautiful, as always. For such a strange, sometimes horrible, thing, it is lovely to watch. The way the Souls are in their natural forms is breathtaking, and Wanda is even more glorious than the others. In her true state, she's so mesmerizing, glowing silver, small filaments curling in the air. It was amazing to watch Ian ease her inside of the girl's neck. His face was so full of wonder in amazement, love and compassion. He thought she was so beautiful.

I'm standing on the opposite side of the cot with Jamie beside me. Ian's holding one of Wanda's hands and Jamie's squeezing her other softly, smiling with hope. Ian leans over and kisses her gently on the forehead, unable to wait any longer. My stomach bubbles with excitement.

"Wanda, honey. It's okay. You can wake up now," Ian whispers, his face right beside her ear. He strokes her soft auburn hair involuntarily, brushing her cheek with his thumb. I sigh, wondering how much longer.

"Come on, Wanda," Jamie says. He's almost jumping now, he's so jittery. I feel the same but I'm trying to hold it in. I deeply wish Jared were here to hold me, to comfort me. But he's not. And I'm not going to forgive him that easily. I can calm myself down.

Just then, Wanda's arm twitches under Ian's hold. Her head lolls slightly to the side, her legs shifting slightly. "Wake up, Wanda," I scold, laughing. Ian grins wide as the girl's eyes open to the white ceiling above, glowing silver.


	14. Chapter 13

**Wanda POV**

"Ian?" I croak. My voice sounds different than before. Gentle and soft, almost melodic. I blink a few times, tilting my head to see Ian smiling down at me in awe. "What . . . what happened?" I say, trying to sit up. But Ian pushes me gently back down against the cot. He leans over and kisses me softly, his lips tasting warm and familiar. I close my eyes and try to push the Soul-who's scared about Melanie-out of my mind. It's no use.

I pull away and breathe out slowly. "Is Melanie okay?" I ask nervously.

"I'm right here, stupid," Melanie laughs. I twist around and see that she's on the other side of the bed, laughing with Jamie. "Can't you just think about yourself for one moment?"

"No," I say shyly, biting my lips. Ian's hand is still holding mine and I look at it quizzically. "Who am I?" I ask. I was flooded with memories while I slept. A young boy dancing through sprinklers. An old woman laughing as she poured a glass of lemonade under the summer sun. A mundane classroom, filled with students looking like they're about to fall asleep. Stacks of books piled precariously atop of a nightstand. A huge party full of dancing teens in flowing dresses and sharp tuxes, music blasting everywhere. There were so many memories it was almost hard to think about.

"You're you, Wanda," Ian says, exactly like when she had woken up in Pet's body. "Okay? You're here and you're yourself. That's all that matters."

"But-"

"Shh," he whispers, leaning over to kiss me sweetly on the forehead. I blush.

I push myself up onto my shoulders so that I am on a more even level with the others. Doc is off by his desk, but I can see him watching silently, a smile on his face. Melanie is grinning ear to ear, her arm wrapped around a jumping Jamie. He is so thrilled with excitement that I can't help but laugh. Not giggle-Pet was the one who giggled. Luckily, this body is a little less dainty. "I'm glad you're safe, Wanda," Jamie says, leaning over and hugging me. It feels weird to move in this body. My limbs are much more stronger than before. Even sitting down, I can tell that I wouldn't have as much of a height issue as before. Jamie would probably be just as tall, maybe even shorter. I smiled selfishly at the thought. "Did it hurt? When you were shot?"

I pull back and look at him sadly. I'm not in the mood to discuss the previous events, but I can't not tell Jamie. He is like my brother. "At first, yes. But I . . I think I passed out immediately. Besides, _I _didn't really feel it. Pet did." Though she wasn't looking at him, she could almost feel Ian roll his eyes. "But don't worry about me okay?" I turned to Mel and Ian, looking back between the two. "What happened? I was scared that you . . that you were gone, Mel."

She shifts uncomfortably from side to side. "I know, but I was fine. I think that my mind just kind of shut down when you were inserted. I don't think the human's supposed to be awake during it, and my body was kind of in shock."

"Oh," I say, nodding slightly. I guess that makes sense, but it still scares me to think about it. "You should've have done that, you know. You should have let me-"

"Don't, Wanda," Melanie says, her voice almost harsh. "If you even think about that I'm going to smack you!"

"But-"

"Wanda, she's right. Nobody would've just let you," Ian swallows, glancing cautiously at Jamie. " . . let you go. We all love you, Wanda. You can't be mad at us for that, can you?" His lovely eyes are shining and I can feel myself getting sucked into them, believing his words.

"I guess not." I look around the room, searching for a mirror. "Ian, could we maybe go back to the room?" I don't want to talk to everybody right now. I just want to be alone with Ian, to figure out what's going on. And I'm eager to see myself, even if I won't admit it.

"Of course," he says, smiling. I jump off of the cot and smile as he holds his hand out for me. I slip mine into his, his grasp familiar. I look up at him and notice that he's only a few inches taller, which makes me even more pleased to be in this body.

"Will you come talk to me later, Wanda? Maybe we could eat in my room together?" Mel asks. Jamie seems eager for this too, so I nod my head. "Great. I'll see you later, okay?" Her and Jamie head towards the entrance to the hospital, but Mel turns back. "Please just try to be happy, Wanda. This is your life. You should enjoy it." With that, she turns and leaves.

I silently wonder why Jared isn't with her, but assume that he's sleeping or something. Who knows how long it took for me to wake up? "Thanks, Doc," I say lightly, looking over at him.

"Anytime, Wanda," he says.

"You ready?" Ian grins, looking down at me. I nod and he leads me out of the caves, though I know the way. It's strange to walk in this body. I feel so much stronger, so much more sturdy on my feet. I can feel my hair, swaying against my back and I'm anxious to get a look at it.

Luckily, we don't run into anyone on the way through the caves. Everybody must be working in the fields already. Ian takes me back to our room, where he promptly slides the red door closed, leaving us alone. I walk over to the small mirror that we keep in our room and study myself carefully. Ian watches me from behind, but I try to ignore it.

Gentle, light waves of auburn hair cascade down my back, ending near my chest. My lips are light pink, standing out against my pale, clear skin. I bring my hands to my face and touch my skin, exploring this new body. I run my hands down my hair, which curls around my fingers. My eyes are silver, but I can make out a faint green behind them. As for my body, my limbs are long and thin, but still slightly muscular. I have gentle curves near my waist and broad shoulders. I smile shyly in the mirror, pleased with this body, but still somewhat mournful. A human life is gone because of me.

"Hey, don't think like that," Ian says, wrapping his arms around me from behind. My thoughts must have been plain on my face, as he kisses my neck gently, whispering soft _it's okays._ "She didn't wake up, Wanda. She was too long gone, okay? You're the reason she's still alive in some way."

I lean back against him, closing my eyes. I can picture myself now in the visions, dancing with the young boy in the sprinklers. He has similar hair and I realize that he's her brother, Graham Her grandmother is pouring lemonade, holding it out for them. Beside her in class is her boyfriend, Dylan. He passes her a note as the teacher rambles on about parametric curves. She smiles as she reads it; a note telling her what time he's going to pick her up. For prom, I think. That's what the dance was; her senior prom. Dylan twirled her around as a beautiful song played, wrapping her in his arms.

A new memory appeared then, one of the girl grinning as someone handed her a diploma, an older man with bright green eyes. At first, I thought it was high school, but her memories told me this was college. Dylan was sitting in the audience and he winked at her. Her grandmother and little brother were beside him, clapping as she stepped back into line. And then I'm watching her standing in an empty room, painting the white walls olive, Dylan passing her a new brush. Her hair is tied in a loose bun, her shirt splattered with paint. She's laughing, so happy.

And then the last glimpse I get: the girl running, sprinting, through the house. She dashes under the table, covering her mouth with her hand. She's absolutely petrified. I watch as the familiar uniform of a seeker comes into view, heels clicking slowly against the wooden floors. The feet stop right in front of the table and I can almost hear her smile. She leans down and looks the girl in the eyes, silver to green. "Hello, Emily," she grins before holding up a can of Sleep and spraying the girl into unconsciousness.

I open my eyes, unable to take this anymore. I jump away from Ian, hugging myself. "Wanda?" he asks nervously, approaching me. I shoo him away, holding my face against the wall. The images play again and again in my head. New words form, names and pictures, smiles and tears. I push them away, but they flood my mind. "Wanda, please. Tell me what's wrong," Ian says. I can feel his hand pressed against my back, but I don't move. One thought occupies my mind, scaring me in the most horrific way.

Ian mumbles my name again, now getting closer. I find a way to voice the thought that's terrifying me."Emily was human. She never had a Soul in her. So how did I end up in her body?" My voice is soft and almost harsh, something new for me. I fight back tears as I try to come up with an explanation, but find none.

"Wanda, please, don't do this. Not now. I'll . . I'll explain later. I just want to be with you right now. I've missed you so much," Ian says. He wraps his arms around me and gently eases me off the wall. I don't fight back-I don't want to hurt him. He sets me down on the bed, still tucked inside of his arms.

"How is it possible, Ian? I don't understand," I gasp, my breath turning shallow. "She's human. They never put a Soul into her. I can tell."

"I should've known you'd notice," Ian mumbled to himself. "Look, we found her in a sort of hospital. She was recently captured. They were saving her for an insertion soon-probably today or tomorrow-but we found her in time. Okay?" It sounded like he was lying, but I couldn't figure how. What other explanation is there? And I wanted to believe it so bad. That they had only just captured her, but she was unconscious too long to wake up.

"Oh-okay," I agree nervously. I know there's more that he's hiding, but I'll figure it out later. Maybe talk to Jared; he would never lie for my protection. "I'm sorry. I just . . I got scared for a moment."

"It's okay," he soothes, stroking my back. "I understand. How about we just talk for a little bit, okay? Calm down," he suggests. I nod and lay back against him. He shifts us so that we're lying down, our bodies molded together. His hand moves gently up and down my back, his other trapped under my head, a pillow. I close my eyes and listen to him talk. His calming voice lulls me to sleep.


	15. Chapter 14

When I wake up, Ian isn't beside me anymore. I sit up, slightly panicked, but realize he's in the corner, changing. I blush as I watch him slide his green t-shirt over his head and stretch out his muscled arms. Ian must've heard me, because he turns around and smiles at me, still shirtless. "Morning, Wanderer," he smiles, walking over and kissing me gently on the lips. It still feels weird in this body, and I can see it in his eyes that he feels the same. He isn't used to it yet.

"What time is it?" I ask, rubbing my eyes.

"Almost three, I think," he notes.

I raise my eyebrows in surprise and smile at him. "Then why'd you say 'morning?'" I laugh. He shrugs, grinning wide.

He starts to walk back towards his clothes, but I reach out and grab his arm. I sit up on my knees and pull him close to me, kissing him firmly on the lips. He's shocked by my confidence, but quickly slips his arms around my waist, leaning into me. His bare skin is hot against mine, making me tingle with passion. I smile against his lips, feeling perfect in this moment.

Yesterday was stressful in the least. Seeing Emily's memories, finding out about her capture. It was almost too much. But after sleeping for a couple of hours, I feel better. Calmer. More . . whole. The craziness of our failed trip has melted into the past and I've decided to move on.

"Wanda," Ian murmurs against my lips, pulling back. He studies my face, his eyes searching for something-I don't know what. Does he not think of me the same way now that I'm in this body? Does he not love me as much? Before I can worry too much, his eyes settle on mine. "What has gotten into you?" he asks, his lips crinkling on the ends. A glimmer of a smile. A crooked twitch of his lip.

"What do you mean?" I ask, taken aback. That was not what I had expected him to say.

He runs a finger down my cheek, his hand stopping at the scar on my neck. I shiver. "You seem much more . . " He searches for the word, his eyes wandering away from me. "Human," he whispers. The look in his eyes tell me that he's scared he offended me, but I just stare back at him.

"How?"

Instead of answering, he leans in and kisses me, his lips colliding with mine in a roar of heat. My arms tangle around his neck, locking myself against him. He gently sets me back down against the bed, his lips locked with mine. The blankets are soft against my back; his chest is rough against my skin. The contrast is beautiful.

I kiss him back with every ounce of energy I have, all the love I've ever felt for him. I hadn't realized it while I was in the cyrotank-since I can't exactly feel anything-but I had missed Ian's touch. The way his rough hands graze over my stomach, sending a tickling sensation through me. The way his hair feels between my fingers. The way his lips mold into mind, a rush of warmth and fire. "You're much more selfish," Ian laughs against my lips in response. "Not afraid to ask for what you want."

At this, I pull away slightly. I hadn't realized it, but I was being quite selfish. Kissing Ian like that? Oh, god. He's right.

I decide this is a good thing, though. All I want is to be human, to be treated as one of them, to be fully accepted. If being selfish is part of that, I might as well start. "I didn't even ask," I laugh, my lips brushing his chest. He shivers and I grin.

"No you didn't," he says, his voice husky. I continue to trail kisses against his chest as his hands rake up and down my stomach, tucked under my shirt. I moan in pleasure and attempt to pull it off. I expect Ian to help me with it, but instead he pulls away.

"Wha-"

"Wanda, I love you. you know that," he starts. "But I just got you back. And so did everybody else." I look away, feeling ashamed. Stupid new selfishness. "We can save _that _for later. But right now you need to go see Mel. You promised her you would."

I tug my shirt back down and straighten out my hair. "I know," I say awkwardly, pulling myself out of bed. He makes his way over to his clothes and pulls a clean shirt on as I do the same. Luckily, my old clothes still fit me well enough. Pet was much shorter, but her chest and waist were about the same size. I'll probably need a few new things, but these will do for now.

Ian walks over to me as I finish sliding into my shorts and kisses me once more, now more gently. "I love you, okay? I just don't want to rush this for you." To be fair, I understood his reasoning. It was a strange adjustment for both of us for me to be in Emily's body. It's like having to relearn everything about the other. For Ian, it must be worse. He must feel as if he's talking to a different person.

"I know. I love you, too," I smile before heading out into the caves.

* * *

I carefully walk through the caves, making my way to Mel and Jared's room. A few people walk by and I press myself against the wall, hoping not to be seen. I'm still not ready to show this new host to everyone yet; I'm scared of how they'll respond. Luckily, it's dark enough that nobody seems to notice I'm there.

Mel's room is just a little ways down, so I get there in no time. I knock gently on the door and Mel immediately opens it, tugging me inside. Jared isn't there, which makes me a little confused, but I ignore it. Jamie's sitting cross-legged on the bed, shuffling a deck of cards. "Wanda!" He yelps as I walk in. His smile is huge and I can tell that he doesn't even notice the change in my appearance; he sees me for myself.

"Hi, Jamie," I grin, ruffling his hair. He leads me back to the bed, where the three of us sit down in a small circle.

"How did you sleep?" Mel asks.

"Very well," I reply. "What did I miss?"

Mel nods and pulls a sweater from her dresser to her. She tugs it on over her camisole and sinks against the pillows. "Eh, nothing much. Just some field work. Did you eat yet?"

Jamie's head pops up at the mention of food and I laugh at him. "No, do you want to get some lunch?"

"Hell yeah," Mel grins, standing up. "Let's go!"

Jamie pops up, ready for lunch as always, but I stay in place. "Actually . . could you maybe, uh, bring it back here?"

Mel gives me a sideways glance, not understanding. "I'm not ready to see everybody yet. Not like this," I say shyly, motioning at my body. Her lips form an O and she nods her head. She tells Jamie to go grab us some food and he scurries off, his hunger propelling him at lightning speed.

"Where's Jared?" I ask as soon as he's gone. I was afraid to bring it up before, just in case there was something going on. The look on Mel's face tells me there is. "Did something happen?"

"He . . " Mel starts, playing with the blankets. Her expression is harsh, her eyebrows furrowed, her jaw in a tight line. "He's just being annoying about some things. We got in a fight, that's all."

"When?"

"During the trip. But it's fine, Wanda. Don't worry about it," she says, shrugging her shoulders. She smiles at me, but the hurt in her eyes tells me she's lying. I tilt my head to the side.

"Mel, you don't have to lie to me. Please tell me what's going on." She shakes her head, obviously not wanting to have this conversation. "Did he do something to you? Did he . . did he hurt you?" I ask shakily. Though I've never seen it first hand, I've heard horrible stories about how humans used to abuse each other in relationships. The Souls told me about it when I first arrived, telling me that we were here to help rid the world of that sort of violence. I would never think Jared would do that to Mel, but I remember how he slapped me that first day in the caves. He didn't even flinch.

"What?" Melanie gasps. "Oh, no, Wanda! No, he would never do that," she says, rushing to deny my assumption. "He just feels differently about something important to me."

"What is it?" I ask. She shakes her head defiantly. "Please, Mel. I would tell you," I whisper. She was my sister, the first person I truly loved in this world. If there was anything I could do to help her, even if it was just getting her to open up about Jared, I would do it. Seeing her sad like this, lonely and depressed, made me ache as well.

"It's you," she whispers, barely audible. I'm not sure I hear it right, but she looks me straight in the eyes and confirms it. _Me. _I'm the problem in their relationship. I sink back into the bed, wrapping my arms around myself, curling into a ball. Guilt overwhelms me, sweeping through my veins and chilling my soul. I suddenly feel horrible. "No, Wanda, wait," Mel says, noticing my reaction. "Not like that. You didn't do anything, I promise." She reaches her hand out and touches my knee, pulling on it so that my body unravels, unwillingly. I nod, urging her to go on. The guilt remains in my bones, but I try not to race to assumptions. "He feels different about you, Wanda. That's all. We got in an argument about it because . . . because he didn't treat you as an equal. He loves you, Wanda. He does. But he still feels that you're inferior to him, that you shouldn't be a priority to us." My heart sinks in my chest and I feel as if I'm about to implode. "He wanted to let you die, Wanda." Her voice is now barely a whisper, her head tilted down so that her hair shades her face, a curtain. "He was so worried about me that he would have killed you if it meant saving me."

"But that's what I would do," I reply, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You shouldn't be mad at him for that. I'm sure you'd feel the same if it were between Jared and Ian."

"No, I wouldn't," she murmurs. "I would do everything I had in my power to save them both. I wouldn't just let Ian die if it ensured Jared's safety. I'd try. Jared wouldn't."

I bite my lip and and start to speak, but Jamie walks in, three trays of food in his arms. Mel immediately pops up, a huge smile plastered on her face like a doll. I help Jamie with the food and he laughs as he sits on the bed, telling us about how we got the last few pancakes, which they made to celebrate my return. I sneak a glance at Mel to see if she's okay, but her face is a mask, completely transformed. No evidence of her fight with Jared is displayed on her face. She looks just as happy as usual.

I sigh and take a bite, intent on talking to Jared next.


	16. Chapter 15

When I finish my very late breakfast with Mel and Jamie, I head down to Kyle's room. Jamie wanted me to come play soccer later, to test out my new body's strength, and I promised him I'd think about it. Mel was opposed to the idea, but probably because she didn't want to have to play with Jared there. He would never miss a game of soccer.

Ian aside, Kyle would probably be closest with Jared. If he was cooped up somewhere, wallowing over his fight with Melanie, it would probably be there. If not, then I'd have to start asking around. And I wasn't ready to start talking to the others yet.

I knocked lightly on the door, careful to make sure that no one was in the hallway. I expected Kyle to shove the door aside, his height and strength overpowering me, but it was only small, sweet Sunny. Her eyes lit up when she saw me. Even though she hadn't seen this host before, I was the only other Soul in the caves, and I could tell she recognized me immediately.

She barreled into me, her arms wrapping around my now taller frame. I hugged her back, grinning wide. "Hi, Sunny!" I said, pulling away.

"Wanda!" she gasped, leading me into the room. "I was so worried about you! Kyle told me what happened and I . . . I'm just glad you're okay."

She gestured for me to sit down on the bed, but I wasn't planning on staying long. Kyle wasn't here and neither was Jared. I stayed standing as she leaned against the wall. "You look lovely, Wanderer," she noted, observing my body. Sunny was really the only person that I felt I could be completely honest with. I mean, I obviously could tell Ian a lot, but Sunny was great when it came to talking about Souls. We didn't have to hide from each other.

"Thanks, Sunny. I feel . . different, though. It's just weird. When I've switched bodies before, it's always been on different planets, where nobody knows me. Except for with Melanie, but that was the first time anybody saw me as just myself, not Mel." I looked away, not realizing that I was getting off track. "But now, I've shifted into a completely different person after years of being Pet. It just reminds me that I'm not human . . . that I'm still different than everybody here."

Sunny moved off the bed and walked over to me. She usually was very shy, but when she was with me I could always see the loving person she was. "I know it's hard, Wanda. Kyle still looks at me everyday and it seems like he truly has accepted me. But I know that he never will be able to completely. There's a part of him-a part of everyone, actually-that still knows that we're different. I don't think that will ever change." Her hand is featherlight on my shoulder, but it sends a comforting warmth through me.

"I know, but Ian . . I can tell he doesn't think of me the same way. He's trying to adjust, trying not to show it, but I can see it in his eyes, Sunny. He's hurting so much." I hadn't realized it, but a few tears had escaped from my eyes. I fought them away to no avail. "I wish I could give him what he wants. A human to love. But I can't. I'm just . . I'm just a stupid parasite." As soon as I said it, I worried that Sunny might be offended; but she just gave me a sympathetic, understanding look.

"Wanda, don't just assume that he feels that way. Sure, it's hard for him to love someone of a different species, but isn't it the same for you? You love him, yet you wish you could overcome your differences. He just feels the same. It's normal," she shrugged, as if I should know this. If Kyle hadn't rescued Sunny, I feel that she would have made a wonderful Healer, one that deals with therapy and psychology. "He loves you, Wanda. And love is blind, as cliché as it sounds."

I nod, finally wiping the trail of tears from my eyes. Luckily, this host isn't as vulnerable looking and the remnants of crying won't be as blatantly obvious on my face. "Thanks, Sunny. I'm glad I got to talk to you."

"Me, too!" She smiled bashfully, her lids blinking fast to cover her silver eyes. "But, why'd you come in the first place?"

"Oh, I was looking for Jared," I explained. Right. Jared was the reason I was here.

"He's not with Mel?" I simply shook my head, not wanting to explain. It wasn't my story to tell. "Kyle's with Ian in the fields. Jared might be there, too. Most of the guys are up there."

I thanked her for the billionth time before leaving her room. I walked quickly down the halls, weaving my way to the fields. I passed Freedom and Isaiah, who were playing some sort of game by themselves. Their mother was nowhere to be seen, thankfully. They both didn't even bother to look up, they were so absorbed with what they were doing. I grinned to myself.

When I got to the fields, I hesitantly peeked my head around the corner of the cave wall. Sure enough, all the boys were scattered throughout the fields, working on the crops. Sweat covered their bodies, the mirrors high above us reflecting the light. Lily walked around, passing out water bottles as they worked, but she was facing away from me.

I saw Kyle working beside Ian in the far right corner. Ian was smiling, his tall body curved over the crops. His shirt was off, exposing the tan, firm skin beneath it. I ached to touch him, to graze my fingers over his muscles, but I knew it wasn't the time. He must've noticed me, because he looked up and smiled wide. Kyle turned his head towards me and nodded. I gave a low wave back.

Some of the others looked up and stared for a moment, making me duck behind the wall again. I wasn't ready for this. I didn't want this kind of confrontation. I still needed time to figure out what to say, how to explain. I'm sure some of them were angry that another human life was lost, even if it couldn't have been saved.

Before I could bury myself in embarrassment, everybody seemed to drop their gaze and return to their work, just after Ian had finished talking. I wasn't sure what he had said, but probably something along the lines of, "Stop staring at her! Back to work!" The thought made me giddy. He truly was my protector.

I caught sight of Jared in the very back. He was working more slowly than usually, taking his time to harvest the wheat. His jaw was tight, his eyes locked in a harsh stare. When he pulled his arms back, he noticed me watching and looked away for a moment. I gestured for him to come to me, but he seemed reluctant. I belatedly realized he hadn't seen me since I was inserted into Mel. He doesn't seem surprised at all and I assume that he already saw the body during the raid. The thought made me itch.

He watched as I stood uncomfortably before finally walking over, wiping his forehead clean of sweat. "What do you need, Wanda?" he asked, his voice cold.

"I just wanted to talk to you," I said, looking up at him. "It's important."

"Can we do it later? I'm a bit busy right now," he said, gesturing towards the fields. Jared was not one to take his chores lightly. Still, his angry stare made me shiver slightly.

"Please, Jared. It's about Mel. I . . I just need to tell you something." At the mention of Melanie, his eyes light up slightly. His expression was still tight and tense, but I could see a glimmer of sorrow behind his eyes. It made me feel sorry for him, and I prayed that I could help make things right between him and my sister.

"If you're here to tell me that I'm a horrible person for saying what I did and that you hate me for it, I don't need you to tell me that. I already assumed." He looks uncomfortable, shifting his weight from side to side.

"Jared, I don't hate you. How could I? You're the only reason that everybody here eventually trusted me. If it wasn't for you, I'd be dead."

"It's _because_ of me that you would be dead. During the raid . . If Mel hadn't . ."

"Don't, Jared. Please. I'm not mad at you, honest. You're a wonderful person," I smiled. "Please, just hear me out?"

He ran a hand through his hair and looked back towards the fields. Ian was watching us carefully, probably worried for my sake. He must know what happened with Mel and Jared. His expression clearly displays his worry for me and his anger towards Jared. I'd work on him next.

Jared faced me again, looking conflicted. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Let's talk somewhere else," he said, dragging me towards a place I new to well: the storage hole.

* * *

**Okay, so sorry this chapter's kind of boring. I don't know. . . I just needed a filler chapter or something. Next chapter, everybody will be "introduced" to Wanda's new host, though! So hopefully that will be good.**

**Also, thank you to the large amount of people who are reviewing, favoriting, and following! I honestly did not expect that many people to read this fic, and it makes me so happy that you are all enjoying it. Thanks :) **


	17. Chapter 16

**I just realized I switched tenses again . . sorry! I'm trying to stay in present tense, but sometimes I just type without thinking and switch. Oops :)**

I slide down the wall and land on the floor, sinking into the familiar crevices of the cave walls. Horrible memories fill me as I think about the time I spent here. When Ian hated me. When Doc killed all those innocent Souls. I shiver at the memory.

"What do you want to say, Wanda?" Jared murmurs, sitting down across from me. He looks defeated, like he's given up all hope. It makes me feel sorry for him.

"I just want to try to help you, Jared," I whisper softly, looking up at the cracked and dusty ceiling. "Mel seems very sad right now. Lost. I want to help her. She . . she said that it's fine but I know it's not. She's not herself anymore." The way Mel had looked this morning. Her eyes vacant, her laugh empty. Jared is her heart, and without it, she is drained.

I look at Jared and see that his jaw is tight, the way it gets when he's trying not to cry. It's hurting him that Mel's in pain. "And I feel terrible because the only reason she feels this way is because of me. If I wasn't here, you two could be together, happily . ."

"Wanda," Jared sighs, rolling his head towards me. "It's not your fault. You have to understand that! It's _never _your fault, Wanda. You have to stop blaming yourself for everything. Maybe all Souls get along perfectly and don't make mistakes and have nothing to blame each other for, but humans do, okay? We're not perfect. We're . . we're broken." His eyes are a vibrant, lively gold, like warm honey.

My lip quivered but I bite down on my tongue. He isn't offending me, but the words still sting. He was complementing my race, I suppose. But he was bashing his species, and that made me pained. "Everybody's a little broken, Jared. We all have our problems."

"Not you, Wanda," he says bitterly, almost enviously. "You're the ideal person. Kind, honest, caring, selfless. Everybody loves you. You're not shattered and ruined."

I open my mouth to speak but realize I don't know what to say. How do you respond to that? Instead, I scoot over to his side of the wall and sit beside him, taking his hand in mind. It feels warm and familiar, just like from Melanie's memories. "Jared," I say finally. "I have many faults. Believe me. I'm just as . . as _broken _as you think you are. Please understand that." He didn't say anything but focused his gaze on our hands, interlocked. I kept going. "Melanie said that you had a fight over me, and how you treat me. She said that you didn't value my life the same as a human's. She thought that that was wrong, that it was mean. But I do not. I understand why you think so and I do not disagree. I put all human lives, even of those I may not know, above mine. It makes sense. Your species is almost extinct. Why would anyone let one of the few remaining die? I certainly would not, and I know you wouldn't either." He is looking at me now, his brow creased, his eyes curious. He doesn't seem angry anymore. "Melanie thinks that you care more about her because she's human. And I think part of that is true, but because of what I said before. She's _human_, Jared. Of course you put her first. And you love her. If you don't see me on the same level, I understand."

I pull my hand away and stand up. I can sense that he needs to be alone to think this through. "And if I'm wrong-if you do dislike me because of what I am-then I understand as well. But please talk to Melanie. Try to tell her how you feel, make her see it from your perspective. I could not bear it if you two were not partners."

Jared cracks a smile, a breath of air as a laugh. "What?" I ask. Was my advice really that funny?

"'Not partners?' Really Wanda?" he says, fighting a chuckle. I furrow my brow, not sure what was wrong with the statement.

"Is there another term for it?" I ask. Even after a year of living with the humans, I am still very behind on many terms. Jamie and Mel torment me endlessly for it.

"'Break up' is what people say. I hope they don't 'break up,'" he teaches me, some of the pain in his face gone.

"Oh," I say bashfully, blushing. I turn to leave, feeling slightly embarrassed, but better than before. Hopefully I fixed what I started between Melanie and Jared. Maybe now they won't "break up."

I am almost out of the tunnel when Jared calls out for me. I turn around and look at him from the distance. He's only a silhouette now, the light shimmering around him like a coat. "Thank you, Wanda. I . . . I really do love you, even if it seems like I don't." I look down bashfully before turning away and heading back towards the fields.

When I get back, Ian's already waiting for me outside, his arms crossed, his mouth tight. "What did he say to you?" he growls

I shake my head, placing my hands on his shoulders, trying to calm him. "Nothing wrong, Ian. He even complemented me," I say.

"Whatever he said is wrong, Wanda. Don't believe hi-wait, what?" he says, confused. "What exactly did you tell him?"

"I just told him my opinion on the matter. That's all. He's going to talk to Mel and hopefully things will work out," I smile, locking my hands behind his neck and leaning against him.

"And what would that be?" he asks skeptically. "Your opinion?" I keep my mouth closed, hoping he'll let it pass. If Ian finds out that I still consider my life less important than a human's, he will get very angry. I don't know whether it will be at me or Jared, but I don't want to find out. "Wanda?" he asks again when I don't answer. "If you agreed with him, I'm going to be very upset with you. You can't just let him call you that!"

"Call me what?" I ask, not sure what he means.

His expression shifts and he swears under his breath. He leans back against the wall, closing his eyes. "It's nothing," he lies. I'm anxious to know what he's talking about, but no better than to ask. It's probably some word that I would use on myself like _monster _or _parasite. _Ian may still consider it an insult, but I still think of it as the truth. And if Jared called me such, he was only being honest, stating the facts. "All I'm saying is that you can't just act like it's okay for him to treat you like that. You deserve to live just as much as any one of us, even more than some. More than Jared."

"Don't say that," I say, shaking my head. How could he say something like that?

"I didn't mean it like that, Wanda," he murmurs, brushing a strand of my hair. "I just . . . I hope you didn't apologize for something that wasn't your fault."

I look up into his beautiful, human eyes and smile lightly. "I promise, Ian, I didn't. All I told him was that I understand what he said and forgave him. I'm fine, okay?" I lie smoothly. He nods, finally accepting this statement, before placing my hand in his.

"Okay," he confirms. He plants a small kiss on my forehead and I lean in for another, but he's already moved away slightly. "Do you want to see everybody?" I consider this for a moment as he leads me down the hall. I'm terrified to see my human friends, to learn of their reactions and thoughts on the subject of my new host. Some of them may despise me once again. I can only hope that they will not be so hateful. "I know it's scary, but everybody has been told of what happened on the trip. Everybody loves you, Wanda. They'll accept you in any form," he whispers against my ear. _Except my natural one_, I add in my mind. When I'm in a host, they can imagine I'm just like them. But when I'm occupying a cyrotank or switching between bodies, they receive a reminder of who I truly am: a Soul.

Ian looks at me for an answer and I nod my head. I might as well get it over with. We walk for a minute or so before reaching the game room. Everybody is gathered inside, talking amongst themselves in different, scattered groups. Melanie's there, surprisingly. She's laughing with Trudy about something. Jamie's right beside her, but he's kneeling down and playing a hand game with Freedom. Kyle and Sunny are wrapped around each other in a crevice. Lily, Sharon and Maggie are off in the corner, discussing something that seems important. Jeb is talking with Lucina, while Candy, Lacey, and Paige are sitting down on the right. A few others are scattered around. Jared isn't here.

"Ah, Wanda and Ian," Jeb grins, noticing us walk in. A million stares land on me, most of the friendly, but some of them not as much. Mel and Jamie are looking at me with supporting smiles. Kyle and Sunny are now standing up. Kyle nods solemnly at me and Sunny winks. "Glad you could join us. We were just about to pick teams," he says, trying to sound casual. The last thing I want is for him to make some grand re-introduction.

"Captains?" Ian asks. He's also trying to keep me out of the topic of discussion.

"Kyle and Melanie," he smiles wickedly. The latter surprises me, mainly because I thought Mel wasn't in the mood to play. But I should've known she wouldn't be able to pass up a game. Ever since she got her body back, she's been one of the best players of all. "Let's go, people!" he yells.

Everybody slowly gathers around the center, while Melanie and Kyle split up on either side of the room. Paige rubs me on the shoulder as she passes by, as do Heidi and Brandt. Lily hugs me briefly, complimenting my hair. Sharon and Maggie scowl at me with bitter eyes, as predicted. They have been better since I was taken out of Mel, but I suspect they'll never completely come around.

"Okay," Mel starts. "Hmm . . . Wanda," she says, pretending to think carefully about this. I dash over to her and wait patiently as the names are called.

"Aaron," Kyle says.

"Jamie."

"Sunny."

"Ian," Melanie picks, thankfully. I was worried Kyle would get him. He runs over to me and slips his hand in mine.

After a few minutes of picking teams, we end up with Jamie, Ian, Lily, Trudy, Paige, and Andy. Kyle has Aaron, Sunny, Brandt, Jeb, Lacey, Heidi and Reid. The others are sitting this one out and line up against the wall, watching anxiously. No one-albeit Maggie and Sharon-even gives me a look of confusion or hatred. Everyone treats me like they always have.

Like I'm a human.

* * *

**Note: THIS IS NOT THE END! It seems like I kind of closed it off, but there is more to come. It's veering off of the original point of the story (because this is where I would technically stop it) and now just becoming a general host fic. We'll see what I come up with :) **


	18. Chapter 17

I fall over onto the bed, exhausted. My body's covered in a thin layer of sweat, my hair pasted to my skin, and my breaths are coming heavy. Emily's body is definitely more toned then Pet's, but after being in a comatose state for so long in the storage area, it's massively out of practice.

Ian laughs at me and crawls into bed beside me, passing me a glass of water. I take it and drink gratefully, draining the cup in seconds. "That was some fancy footwork," he smiles, taking a sip of his own glass. We won the game by just a few points. I happened to make those last crucial goals, but I don't like to brag about it. The attention makes me cringe. "Have you been practicing in private?"

I smile as he leans over and kisses me despite my post-game, disgusting state. His lips taste salty and familiar, his breath mixing with my own. I arch my back as he crawls over me, straddling me, to get a better angle. I twine my arms around his neck and pull him closer as he tilts my head upwards. His mouth widens and I deepen the kissing, fuzzy sparks floating through my body. I feel like I'm on fire; like I'm burning up and I don't care.

"Wanda," Ian murmurs against my lips without breaking apart.

"Hmm?" I'm desperate to touch him, to hold him, to kiss him for much longer. It's selfish, but I can't deny it. I want him.

"Wanda-" he says, pulling back slightly. "Let's not rush this." His lips are close to mine, but there's too much space between us. "I know I stopped you earlier, but it's . . . I just need some time, okay? I want to make sure we do this right."

I can hear the hidden message in his words. _I need to get used to this body. _Ian would never say it aloud; it's just another reminder that I'm a Soul and he's a human. It's natural that he should need to adjust to my new appearances, but I can't help but feel guilty. It's my fault. I should have just . . I don't even know. Died. I should have died when Lynn shot me.

"No, Wanda, stop," Ian sighs, reading my face. I've never been good at hiding my emotions. "It's not that, I promise. When I look at you, no matter what body, I see _you. _It's all the same to me. When you were Mel or Pet . . it was always just _you." _He cups my cheeks in his hands, now pulling me into his laps. I oblige, anxious to feel his warm body encompassing mine. "I wouldn't care how you looked. I don't need to adjust to anything because nothing has changed. It's still you-your words, your thoughts, your movements."

I want so badly to believe him, but I just can't. "I know that, Ian. I know that you think . . that you love me for me, but that doesn't change the fact you're looking at a different person." I look down, brushing my hair in front of my face to hide myself.

"Wanda," he whispers, now right beside my ear. "You're not listening to me," he almost laughs. "When I look at you, I see the beautiful Soul that I love. The incredible, kind person that you really are."

"So you see a worm," I murmur under my breath.

"No," Ian scolds. He hates it when I refer to myself as that, even though it's the truth. As animal classification would go, Souls are technically worms. Ian says it has a negative connotation, though, and that I shouldn't denounce myself. But honestly, I feel that the word just reminds him that he could squash me if he wanted to. That I'm that weak and helpless without a body, forever dependent on a host. "You are so lovely, Wanda. When I . . when I put you into this body yesterday, I remembered that first time. With Pet. How I saw you and I thought that you were the most amazing thing. You're so fragile and delicate, so inspiring to watch. The way that you shine, Wanderer. There's nothing that I love more." He kisses me gently on my cheeks and I realize that I'm crying. He's kissing the tears away. "Do you remember what I told you that day?"

I bite back a cry as he holds my face, staring straight into my silver eyes. "You said, 'I held you in my hands, Wanderer. And you were so beautiful,'" I recall. Those were some of the most wonderful words anyone has every spoken to me. How could I forget them? "Ian-"

"Wanda, don't protest. Please. Just understand that I love _you. _The only reason I ask not to rush this is for you. I don't want to make you do anything you don't want to, not after all that's happened. I think we need to appreciate what time we have," he smiles. I nod and turn my back to him so that he's holding me by the waist. He lays us down and pulls a blanket up over us, enveloping me in warmth.

"I love you with all of my being, Ian," I whisper, closing my eyes.

I feel myself being lulled to sleep when Ian suddenly speaks, surprising me. His voice is low and rough, filled with something intangible. "Wanda? Can I ask you something?" he says, unaware that I was sleeping. I don't mind, though. I would give up sleep if it meant more time with Ian. I nod and he turns me around to face him, carefully grabbing my waist. "You're supposed to be a Mother, right? It's what you were . . made for?"

My eyes widen in shock. I didn't expect this conversation, but I quickly cover my surprise. "Yes, I suppose. Very few Souls have the ability to do so, but it wasn't my sole (A/N: PUN INTENDED!) purpose in life. Souls don't force us into Mothering if we do not want to do so. It is a sacrifice, after all. Souls are too selfless to wish that upon another," I explain. Ian rolls his eyes at the last sentence-its applies to me all too well.

"I know," he nods. His voice is suddenly quiet, almost nervous. "But, have you ever thought about being a human, um mother?"

"Oh," I mouth. This conversation has always been in the back of my mind, waiting to come. Ian had asked about it a long time ago, but as more of an inquisitive question. But now, I can hear the desire in his voice, the longing. "I-"

"You don't have to say anything, Wanderer, if you don't want to. I just . . I wanted to ask."

"No," I say, shaking my head. "I want to answer." Melanie has told me that her and Jared plan to have kids one day, but I never really applied that sort of situation to us before. I still do not understand human partnerships completely, after all. "Ian, I love you. And I want to. I really do. Like you said, it's what I'm made for. But . . I don't think I could-I wouldn't be able to be the kind of mother you'd want me to be." My voice is quiet now, barely a whisper. My bashfulness isn't any less evident in this body.

"What do you mean?" he responds immediately, completely taken aback. "You'd be an amazing mother. You're kind, caring, responsible. And selfless, of course. Way too selfless, but I guess that's good with kids," he laughs, trying to lighten the mood.

"That's not what I meant, Ian," I murmur, biting down hard on my lips. I'm afraid it will bleed.

He gives me a perplexed look, trying to figure it out, and props himself up on his elbow. He's thinking hard. His brows bend inwards and he studies me, searching my face. I try not to give it away, and it seems to work. "What do you mean, then?" he asks finally.

"I mean," I take a deep breath. "That I wouldn't be a human mother. I . . . I would be an alien parent. I couldn't do that to you. To . . our children." The last part is probably inaudible. The thought of having a small, baby boy or girl with Ian, playing in the caves together, laughing in the fields, makes me want to cry with excitement. But I know it could never happen. I couldn't do that to him.

"Wanda-"

"It's not about you, Ian. I wouldn't feel comfortable with it. If we were to have kids, they would grow up confused. They wouldn't know why I was different, why we were fighting against people who looked like me. It would be so hard. I don't think I'd be able to do it."

He thinks about this, holding my hands in his, and nods slowly. "Okay," he whispers, leaving it at that. I can tell he's hurt-he knows it's more about him than me-but he also seems to understand that I don't want to talk about it now. That I'm not ready.

He turns away and falls asleep. I do the same. My dreams are filled with thoughts about the future we could have together.


	19. Chapter 18

**I really hope this isn't super cheesy... Let me know what you think. **

* * *

I wake up and find that Ian's gone, a small piece of paper folded on the bed in his place. I yawn and stretch my arms, memories of last night flooding my mind. Our conversation. The way he looked at me with all the love in the world, tumbling out of his eyes and into my heart. The way he had asked me so desperately about being a mother. With him. Having kids. I wish I was selfish enough to have told him my true feelings. That that is all I want.

But I'm not. I'm a Soul.

I flip open the piece of paper and read: _Needed to fix some of the mirrors in the fields. Meet you at breakfast -Ian. _I smile as I set it back down and roll out of bed. My body feels sore from the game last night, but I don't mind. It reminds me that this body can take on the physical requirements of working in the caves. There's no way Ian can tell me otherwise now.

I slip into one of Ian's shirts-it only reaches a little below my hips in this body-and pull an old pair of shorts on. My hair is tangled but I find that it's much thinner than Pet's and easier to brush. My auburn curls hang easily over my shoulders. I take a deep breath and head outside, shoving the large red door aside with ease.

It's not that I'm scared to face everyone again-after all, nobody seemed to judge me much at the game yesterday. It's just that I feel naked, almost. Unveiled. Completely revealed in this new body. It will take some time to get used to.

"Wanda!" I hear as I turn the corner. Jamie.

I smile and twist around to face him. He's about the same height as me, now. His hair has grown out and he looks so much older. I remember the tiny version of him I saw in Mel's memories. He was so young and innocent. The caves have made him so much older in such a short time. "Hi, Jamie," I say.

"Are you going to breakfast?" he asks, joining my side and walking with me. I nod in response and he continues on. "Did you hear about what happened with Mel?"

I stop in place and look at him, nervous. Was she hurt? Did something happen last night? Worry floods my face but Jamie's light expression brushes away my assumptions. "Ooohh, I guess not!" he says mischievously. The news must be exciting, positive. "Well, you should definitely go talk to her!" he darts off ahead and I call after him, but he just keeps going. I guess I'll have to find out what this is about from Mel herself.

When I finally reach the cafeteria, a crowd has formed around a table in the back. The clump seems to be filled with mostly girls, but a few men have gathered around as well. The rest of the cafeteria is empty. Nobody stands behind the counter serving breakfast, either. And I can't make out Ian in the cluster. Hmm.

"What's going on?" I ask, confused. Faces flip around towards me, all grinning wide. Jamies is one of them, smiling slyly with knowledge. Sunny is there, looking thrilled and jittery, more joyful than usual. And then I see Melanie, in the center of it all. She's sitting down with the widest grin on her face. Jared is next to her, his arm wrapped around her waist. Maybe the news is that they made up? I hope so. I couldn't stand seeing them fight.

"Wanda!" Mel says, her face brightening at the sight of me. The group clears a little path for me so that I can get through to the table. As soon as I'm sitting down they regroup around me like a circle of body guards. It's almost laughable. Is everybody really that happy about Mel and Jared getting back together? Did they even _know _they were fighting? "I have something to tell you!"

I look around at everybody's faces. Lily is smiling to herself. Paige looks like she's holding back squeals. Even Maggie and Sharon don't seem bothered by my presence; they're just as ecstatic as everyone else. They all seem to know what the big secret is, though I may have figured it out. I wasn't that oblivious. "What is it?" I ask, playing dumb.

In reply, she holds out her left hand. A simple, silver band wraps around her ring finger. It glows under the daylight, shimmering against her hand. In the center is a small diamond-a real one?-framed in delicate silver border of loops and curls. It's lovely. "Oh, Mel! That's so beautiful!" I exclaim. Jared must have given it to her as an apology gift of sorts. No wonder everybody was in awe.

"Um, Wanda?" Mel asks, almost laughing. Jared bites back a laugh and rolls his eyes. I see Jamie's eyes widen in a mocking way. "Do you know what this is?"

I furrow my brow, confused. Everybody is staring at me with a surprised look on their faces. Some are smiling teasingly and I suddenly feel self-conscious. "It's a ring," I shrug.

"Oh my God, Wanderer!" Mel exclaims, tilting her head back and laughing. I feel myself sinking into embarrassment. What did I do this time? "Come over here, now," she says, mock-assertively. She stands up and drags me through the sea of humans off to the side. The stares follow me, though, and a million eyes watch us from a distance, curiously. Jamie's fighting back a fit of laughter.

"What's going on? I don't get it," I ask her, feeling stupid. "Jared made up with you, right?"

"Wanda," she says, all serious. Her eyes are bright and full of joy, her pleasure so evident on her face. "He did much more than make up with me. He _proposed,_ Wanda!" She grabs my shoulders and shakes me slightly, trying to knock some sense into me.

"Proposed what?" I asked, still not getting it.

She smacks herself in the head and I can tell that she's slightly annoyed. Not at me, but at the fact that this must be harder than she thought. "It's an engagement ring, Wanda. He asked me to marry him," she says. Her voice is filled with anxiety, desire and happiness.

"Marry?" I murmur, still not understanding. The word sounds familiar but I can't place it. Melanie's memories never mentioned anything about the word, let alone _proposal _or _engagement. _I searched my brain for some sort of meaning, some picture to match it with. Nothing came up. "I'm sorry, Mel. I . . I don't know what that means." My lack of human knowledge makes me feel small, reminding me of my true species.

"Oh," she mouths, her face draining of all teasing-like excitement. She bites her lip and considers this for a moment, making me feel all the more guilty. "I didn't realize. Sorry. I feel really bad now," she apologizes.

"It's my fault, Mel. I still don't know a lot of human terms," I say. She shouldn't be sorry; whatever was going on seemed to be thrilling, and I was ruining it.

"No, it's not. Nobody in the caves ever really mentions this sort of thing. It's not something that's ever happened in the caves before," she explains, though I still don't know what _it _is. "It's a human tradition. We can't exactly carry it out down here; not anymore at least."

Because of the Souls." Because of me. I ruined whatever this is for her.

"I didn't mean it like that, Wanda," she sights. The guilt is building in her face and I feel bad for ruining this for her. "Trust me, it's not that big of a deal. I was just trying to explain it . . ." Her face scrunches up and I can see she's trying to change the topic, to try to make this sound less anti-Soul. "But anyways, when someone asks you to marry them, it's like a commitment. It means that you'll always be together, that you're bound together."

"Oh," I say, somewhat understanding. "Like I could marry you and we'd be friends forever?" I ask.

She laughs very hard at this, covering her mouth. "No, Wanda. I guess that wasn't the best definition. It's a commitment of _love_. Between-shit, how do you say it where you're from?" She shakes her fingers, trying to recall the word. "Partners! It's a commitment between two partners. Who love each other. Who want to always be with each other."

My eyes light up in understanding and I finally get it. "Oh, wow! I . . I didn't realize that it was like that! So Jared wants to be with you forever?" I ask.

"Yes. That's kind of what it means. He apologized to me in this grand way and then pulled out the ring. It was his mother's, he said. It's just an engagement ring, though. We haven't actually gotten married yet. And I suppose we never technically will. It's a legal sort of thing. But since we can't get it approved by the government down here, it's going to be more of a symbol. It's more metaphorical." She shrugs but I can see the excitement in her eyes. Mel wouldn't care about legality. She's not that kind of person.

"But weren't you partners before? Nothing changes, does it?"

"No, we were together before. But now it's . . . _official. _I don't know. It's a stupid, human thing. But it's really exciting, Wanda! And he told me about talking to you. He said that he really didn't mean it like that and explained how he felt. And I get it now, Wanda. You were right, I guess. But this is just-I mean, it means that he really loves me and cares about me."

"He always has, Mel," I say, finally grasping this whole marriage idea.

"Yes, but . . I can't explain it. It's just so _real, _now! We're going to have a fake ceremony and everything. Lily's going to bake a cake and Jared's going to find us rings on the next raid. And I might look for a dress, too."

She sees the confusion on my face again but just smiles wider. "I'll explain all the details later, Wanda. Don't worry." She links her hand in mine and pulls me back to the table. Everybody starts chattering frantically. Jamie jokes to me about not knowing about marriage and I smile with him. Jared's holding onto Melanie tighter than ever. He's watching her with the most loving look in his eyes, the way Ian always looks at me. He catches me staring and mouths a silent "thank you." I nod in response and listen to the buzz of conversation.

As the talking goes on, I wonder if Ian has ever thought about this. About marriage. Does he love me like that? Enough to commit forever in a purely human way? I know I do. I would love for that-to be with him completely, bound together by a silver ring.

* * *

**Wow. I'm sorry. This was just . . ugh. I thought it would be cute but going back and reading it it's so stupid and cliché. But I don't really have time to redo it and it's something, right? Next chapter will be better I promise. Sorry**


	20. Chapter 19

**This is super O'wanda-y :) Hope you guys like it! Also I moved the rating up a bit. I don't think I needed to, but somebody requested that I did. Let me know what you think**

* * *

After eating and talking more with Mel about her engagement, I head off to find Ian. He should be finished working on the mirrors by now. Once some of the people had gotten over the initial news of Jared's proposal, Mel filled me in on the details of a wedding. Jamie, Jared, and Lily helped to explain it as well. Kyle sat with Sunny, who knew the term, but not well enough to completely understand, and wanted to listen in.

They told me about the large ceremony, the fancy dresses, the colorful flowers. How the groom wasn't allowed to see the bride before the wedding day, especially not in her wedding dress. Mel told me that the dress is usually this large, extravagant white gown, but for her wedding in the caves she would simply settle on something pretty. I promised to go shopping for her on the next raid.

Jamie explained how there's this huge party after where everybody's dancing and eating great food, a huge, wondrous cake towering in the corner. Lily said that they bride and groom cut the cake together and stuff it in each others faces, which made me laugh. Mel's face lit up when they talked about the honeymoon, though she knew that hers would not be exactly as pictured. No beach or ocean, just the hot, familiar desert sand. Lily said she had some ideas about how to make the night more special and secluded, but she wouldn't say how in front of the engaged couple. Jared said that he had some _ideas _for the night as well; Jamie was too close to even mention those, though. The thought made me uncomfortable, but Mel's high laugh made me feel better. The wedding seems fun, and I am looking forward to it now that I know what it is.

"There you are," I hear from behind me as I reach the fields. Ian's standing in the entrance leading to the washroom, leaning against the purple caves walls. He quickly makes his way over to me and I wrap myself into him. He smells of wheat and desert sand, warm bread and hard work. "How was your morning?"

"Very nice," I reply, pulling back so that I can place my hand in his as we walk. "I talked for a long time with Melanie and Jared. Did they tell you yet?" I don't mention how I was completely oblivious to marriage. Ian would only feel bad that I had to be embarrassed like that and he would start blaming himself.

"Yes," he says, though his voice is almost tense. He doesn't seem too excited. "She came down to the fields earlier."

"Are you happy for her? For them?" I ask. His expression says no. But he cares about Jared and Mel; I know he does. Why would he be anything but thrilled?

"Of course I am, Wanda," he says, rolling his eyes. His lips quirk up at the ends and I can now see the excitement. "I'm very happy. They deserve this." We make our way back to our room, probably so that Ian can change. I'm anxious to get to the kitchen, since I'm supposed to clean dishes today, but I want to talk to him. About last night. About this morning. About everything.

He turns me so that I'm facing him, staring into my silver eyes. I can see the controversy behind them, the inner debate he's having with what he feels and what he wants to let on. I connect the dots myself and look away. "But you didn't want them to be the first," I whisper, feeling stupid. How could I not have realized this? Melanie explained how most humans have kids after they were married. Ian must've been going in that direction last night, but I was too ignorant to see it. "Oh, Ian. I . . ."

"Wanda, it's fine," he says, pushing aside his door. "It's not your fault. I . . . I was going to propose but I was worried that you wouldn't want it. That it was too rushed. And with the raid and everything that's happened, I didn't think it was the right time. And now it definitely isn't!" he runs a hand through his hair as he steps into the room, frustrated. "I had this whole plan, too! A whole night together, a special dinner, everything was laid out in my head. I even wanted to ask Sunny to pick up a ring on the next raid. I'm sorry, Wanda. I didn't . . I didn't want this to happen like this."

"Ian," I say, walking over to him and pulling him close to me, our foreheads touching, our noses meeting at the tips. "I'm not mad at you. I didn't think about it. I . . I didn't even know what it was, Ian! Mel had to explain it all to me this morning," I laugh. Ian furrows his brow at this, obviously confused. I guess the idea of marriage must be very well-known amongst humans for Ian to be surprised I didn't know of it. "When she told me I didn't understand at all. If you had asked me . . I probably would have ruined the moment myself."

His lips curve upwards at that and his eyes lighten up, the blue oceans getting brighter. "Wanda, you're too innocent," he whispers. "Still, I-I'm sorry, Wanda. I don't mean to be jealous of them. They deserve to be married, to be happy. I just thought that maybe we could have that too. If you wanted it . . ."

"There is nothing more I want," I smile, placing my lips gently against his, brushing them softly there for a moment. "To be connected in such a humanly way seems so beautiful. I would be honored, Ian." His face brightens at this, filling with hope. "But, I think that we need to wait. I don't want it to seem as if we're doing this because of Melanie and Jared. It needs to be something we come to on our own. And I still want to see your whole plan unravel," I giggle, tracing my finger down his chest. He shivers and I smile.

"Okay," he nods, agreeing. His breathing steadies and he seems to have calmed down. Not that he was hyped up before, but he definitely was not so relaxed. The idea of getting married sometime in the future, when we are ready, soothes him.

He kisses me softly on the forehead before turning to his clothes. I watch as he peels off his sweaty shirt, his skin warm and tempting. His muscles are toned and definite, making harsh yet soft lines against his back. I watch as they ripple with each movement, change shapes as he slips into another top. "Ian?" I ask as he finishes, straightening out the shirt. He raises his eyebrows at me in question, taking a large sip of water from a bottle on the floor.

"When I was talking to Mel, she explained to me the order of things. How you get engaged, then married, then start a family." I look away, unable to meet his eyes. I had been contemplating bringing this up all night, but finally decided that I had to revisit the conversation. Ian deserves to know how I really feel. "And I was wondering: do you have to get married first? In order to have kids?"

He stops immediately, his eyes narrowed, his mouth open. He scrunches his face up, trying to draw out an answer, and makes his way over to the bed, sitting beside me. "Not necessarily. Humans . . . we usually do because that's what is more accepted by society. But, here, in the caves, we don't really have to worry about that. We just kind of do what we please. So . . . no," he says. I can tell he's anxious to see where I'm going with this. His mouth is pinched into a tight line, his eyes locked on mine. His back is rigid, his muscles tense, and his hand is tight around my waist.

"So, hypothetically" I start, placing some hair over my face as if to hide. I don't want him to watch me as I say this; I'm scared of what he'll say, how he'll react. "If two people were to wait a long time to married, they could still have kids. If they wanted. Even if it would be hard because of the different species within the couple. And even if they were living in caves amongst some of the only remaining humans, they could have kids? It wouldn't be humanely wrong?" He looks at me with the strangest expression on his face and I quickly repeat: "Hypothetically speaking, of course."

His smile is now teasing, but his eyes are filled with desire and anxiousness. "Hypothetically," he murmurs, leaning close to me, his mouth touching my ear. "They could do whatever they wanted. As long as both partners were comfortable with it." He says the last part for me, I can tell, but I wish he hadn't. He needs to know I want this just as much as him; that I'm not doing it because he asked.

"And if, hypothetically, the girl in this scenario really, really wanted kids, but was worried about what would happen when they were born? How people would react and how they'd raise the child?" His eyelashes are brushing my cheek now, every blink like a warm shot against my face.

"Then the man in this situation would help to ease her worries. He'd assure her that it would be okay. And that he loved her, no matter what. Even if it would be so terribly hard, he would always love her." His breath was hot against my eyelids and at that moment all of my instincts flew away.

"Okay," I nod, so, so, so desperate to make this scenario come true.

"Okay?" he whispers. I can feel each sharp intake of breath, each small inhale and exhale. In and out. My heart thumps in my chest and I fight to breathe.

"Okay," I repeat, my voice barely audible. His touch, his breath, his eyes on me, they all make it hard to think. My mind is hazy and all I want is to feel him against me, completely. He watches me struggle to remain sane and his hands begin to play with my hair, taunting me. He plants a soft kiss on my forehead, his lips leaving a warm, prickling sensation. I breathe in sharply and that's all the cue he needs.

His lips crush against mine, one hand meeting my cheek to hold me in place. I move my lips against his, syncing our breathing together. I can feel his soft fingers against my cheek. His tongue tangling with mine. I push my hands against his chest, scrunching up his shirt where I grab. He moans as I massage his chest, working my hands up and down. His hands travel down my body to my waist, feeling around for the hem of my shirt. He pulls it upwards and I arch my back to get it over my head. He tosses it easily aside, his eyes wide with hunger. He smiles at me so perfectly and I can't help but blush.

To keep myself from embarrassment, I start to work on his own shirt, drawing the attention away from me. I slide it over his head and sigh as my hands meet his beautiful, tanned skin. "I guess I should have held off on changing," he laughs as I press my lips to his shoulder, making him shudder. Exactly what I wanted.

I move downwards, my mouth colliding with every inch of beautiful skin on his chest. He latches onto my hair, tilting his head back. I retrace my steps and head up to his neck. He leans his head to the side desperately and I take that as approval. I gently bite down on his neck and hear him growl. "You selfish girl," he moans. I smile at this, happy to please him. We've only done this a few times and I've only started to understand exactly how it works. On none of the other planets was this such an . . intimate process. The first time, I could barely move I was so unsure. Ian told me to just follow my instincts, and that I did. With it, I soon learned, I had to abandon all hopes of selflessness. It was impossible to put my desires aside.

I'm lost and thought and he notices. He swiftly flips me over so that I'm pressed against the bed, captured under his toned form. He trails a hand down my stomach, exposed. I shiver at his touch, closing my eyes. He kisses the nape of my neck, his touch unbelievably satisfying. I fight to stay in place, grasping at the bed for an anchor. He likes this, a devilish smile on his face. He moves his lips to my right shoulder. He bites at my bra strap, eagerly tugging it down my arm. I slide the rest of my arm through as he works on the other side.

When he's done, I can feel himself staring down at me, the only thing separating us a thin layer of fabric over my chest. I could pull it off, but I was suddenly self conscious. He's never seen me like this. Well, he's never seen _Emily_ like this. I had only just begun to feel okay with having Ian see Pet completely revealed. But now, in this new body, I felt scared again.

He noticed this immediately. "Wanda, don't be nervous," he whispered against my lips, trying to ease me. "It's still you. It's always you," he says, now pulling away to look into my eyes. My silver, Soul eyes. I stare up at him nervously, wanting to please him. To be a human girl without these sorts of reservations.

"But it's different, Ian. I'm . . I'm different," I whisper. Of course, this feels the same to me. Almost better. But Ian probably has noted the changes. He's unfamiliar with this body's touch, this body's kiss. It must be strange for him. And to put myself out there when he's only begun to meet this new me-that would be too much.

"My Wanderer," he whispers, delicately running his thumb down my cheek. "You are always the same to me. I've told you that." He seems almost disappointed in me that I haven't picked that up yet. And I have; I know that he would love me in any form, even my natural, small one. But it still seems weird that he could so easily kiss me and not feel as if he's kissing a stranger.

"I know, Ian. But I must feel different. Look different."

"No," he says, almost harshly. "I would recognize your touch in any body, any form. Your kiss is indescribable. I know it by heart." He brushes his lips against my forehead, sending chills down my spine. "I know _you _by heart."

I blush deeply, my breathing becoming more shallow. His eyes are locked on mine and I can feel the desire in them, the love, seeping through my skin. I take his hand and guide it behind my back, placing it right where my bra snaps together. I let him slide the hook out of place, his fingers soft against my skin. He gently pulls the fabric away from my skin, revealing me in my most vulnerable state. But I don't mind. His words are like a blanket, comforting me in the warmest way.

He smiles down and kisses me gently on the lips, then dotting kisses against my bare chest. I breathe in softly and close my eyes. I hear the sound of his zipper being pulled. The sound of jeans being shifted against his body, slipping off of him. The thud of them as they hit the ground. And then his body is closer to mine, his weight coming down on me with the perfect amount of pressure. I feel all of him against me, each curve and bump piecing together perfectly. I don't open my eyes.

And then he's rolling us over so that we're on our sides, exposed to each other in a beautiful display. I open my eyes, but keep them locked on his face. I don't care about his body, either. I love him for his heart, for his soul. "I love you, Ian," I whisper, pulling him close and holding him. Not kissing him or anything. Just holding him tightly. He was the most incredible person in the world and I was going to have a life with him, a family.

I was going to have a family with Ian.


	21. Chapter 20

I wake up the next morning to the sound of voices filling the hall. The sunlight tells me it's still very early, but for some reason there is much chatter. Ian is beside me; his arm sprawled across my chest, his legs flung in opposite directions. I laugh at his funny sleeping position and carefully slide out of bed. He shifts and seems to notice me, his face scrunching up and then stretching out in a yawn. I quickly pull a pillow to myself, belatedly realizing I'm still naked.

Ian opens his eyes and sees me, standing there with a pillow held awkwardly over my chest. He smiles wide and props himself up on his elbow. "Morning, Wanda," he smirks. I blush deep red. "What? I'm just admiring the view," he says of my expression. But to my satisfaction, he rolls over to face the other was so that I can gather my clothes. I slip into my undergarments before allowing him to turn around.

"Okay," I say, sifting through a stack of t-shirts. Ian just chuckles.

"You don't have to be so shy, Wanderer," he says, not condemning but just matter-of-factly. He's completely fine with his body, so it seems. He doesn't mind if I see him changing or anything like that. But for me, I'm sometimes too scared to even undress in front of Mel. "It's not like I haven't seen you before."

"Yes, but that's different," I say, snapping the button on my jeans. "That's when we're not focused on each other's . . . bodies." It feels strange to talk about this and I wish I could get out of the conversation. "But if you're just staring at me I feel uncomfortable."

"Wanda . . ." Ian protests. He hates it that I can never fully feel comfortable with Ian. I do, I truly do, but not in the way he wants me to. I haven't reached that point yet. It's not easy for me, even if I love him with all of my heart.

"Ian, I promise it's not you. I just need to get used to this body, that's all. It still feels weird and having you look at me is even stranger," I lie smoothly. He doesn't seem to notice and drops the topic, changing into his own pair of jeans and a tee.

"They boys must be back," Ian notes, finally noticing the murmur of voices outside the hall. A few days ago, some of the boys—excluding Jared—went on a quick raid to pick up more Souls. We've been trying to get a few more each month so as to slowly build up a larger human population. No one wanted them to leave after the latest events, but it was a necessity. "Let's go see what all the talk is about!"

I slip my hand into his and we stride outside together, straight into the crowd of voices. Usually they will gather in the plaza, but for some reason they're in the hall, apparently outside of Brandt's room. Did something happen to him?

"What's going on?" Ian asks, just as confused and worried as I was. Andy turns around and gives Ian a grim look. "Is everybody okay?" Horrible scenarios filled my mind and I could just imagine it all happening. Maybe Brandt didn't come back or Geoffrey got hurt. No. No, no, no. That couldn't have happened.

"Calm down, Wanda!" Andy says, reading my expression. "Everybody's fine. There's just been something . . . interesting going on with one of the Souls we brought back." He looks uncomfortable talking about it with me. It's not like I have any anger towards them for removing Souls—in fact I'm glad they do it—but everybody is always strange around me when they have to bring it up.

"What is it?" I now feel panicked. What if one of them isn't coming out? What if they're causing a problem? "Is somebody hurt?"

"No, nothing like that," says Trudy, coming up from behind him. "One of the Souls claims that he, uh, knows you." My eyes widen and I think back to the horrible Seekers, scared to death that one of them has found me. What if there are more of them? What if they capture all of the humans because of _me? _Have they really not given up yet?

"What—what do you mean? Why is he awake?" Andy sighs and shakes his head. Trudy looks uncomfortable as well. She tosses her long braid behind her back, stalling. "Why?" I repeat. Ian squeezes my hand.

"Doc was running low on Sleep. It wore off by the time we got to him. And when he woke up, Mel was in there, helping out one of the new arrivals. He—the Soul—thought she was you. He said that he knows you, that he wants to see you," Trudy explains finally.

I suck in a sharp breath and look towards Ian. His brow is furrowed and he looks worried, probably assuming it's a Seeker as well. Of course the man thought Mel was me. Any Soul who knew me would only know me in her body. But the thought of him waking up, staring at Melanie, calling my name, makes me shake. "What did you do with him? Is he still awake?"

"That's what we're all arguing about," Andy says. "Jeb thinks it's best if you speak to him first. See who he actually is." He doesn't seem too excited about this. He probably thinks that if I know the Soul, I won't let them remove him. Even Trudy looks slightly annoyed.

"O—okay," I say shakily. I pray that it's not a Seeker. The one who was in Lacey was the most horrible, but there were other Seekers just as creepy.

"Wanda, you don't have to do this if you don't want to—" Ian starts, but I cut him off.

"I have to, Ian. If it's a Seeker . . . We need to know. I need to figure out how they know me."

Ian pulls me aside from Trudy and Andy, away from the cluster of voices, into a small nook in the cave walls. "Okay," he agrees, but from the way his lips are parted, I can tell he has more to say. He's just trying to formulate the correct words. "Did you—when you first came to Earth—have any, um, friends?" he asks awkwardly.

"All Souls are friendly with each other," I shrug. I don't know why he seems so uncomfortable asking. Doesn't he know that already; that Souls are basically one big network of friendly beings?

"Yes, but there's a difference between being friendly and being _friends_," Ian rolls his eyes. "In the caves, we're all pretty friendly, but you wouldn't say that you're all buddy-buddy with Maggie, now would you?" Point taken. "I just want to know if the person in there is an old friend; maybe even someone who sides with us." By _us _he means humans, though he doesn't say so. To Ian, I am human, whether I like to think so or not.

"No," I answer shyly, looking down. "I mean, there were a few students I would talk to with a lot more than others, and a few people in my apartment building that were very kind, but . . . no. Nothing like the friendships I have here. Just acquaintances." I shrug again. "It was just Mel and I."

"Oh," says Ian. He looks disappointed, almost pityingly.

"No, Ian, it was fine! I was happy being alone." His eyes dart to mine and I quickly push my hands to his chest, trying to comfort him. "That's not what I meant. I mean, I didn't mind being alone because I never knew what I was missing. I didn't know how good it feels to have relationships like this. I wouldn't go back for the world."

He relaxes at this and places his own hands over mine. "Okay, so I suppose you really have no idea who this Soul could be?"

I shake my head, thinking hard. Seeker. That's the only possibility. Unless it's a student or neighbor or the like. It must be. "I'll go see who it is. It will be fine."

"Do you want me to come with you?" he asks, walking after me when I pull away towards the hospital. I was too afraid to ask him before, but I'm glad he offers. He slips an arm around me and squeezes my waist. I lean into him and we walk together to the lonely tunnel where the hospital resides.

Jeb, Mel, Jared and Doc are all standing around, talking quietly. I can make out the shapes of bodies covering the cots, along with a few glowing cyrotanks. They all turn as we walk in and Melanie rushes over to me. Her ring glints on her finger.

"Oh, thank God, Wanda! We have a bit of a problem."

"I know. Trudy and Andy just told me. Do you know who it is?" Surely she did. She had the same memories of the Souls that I did. But she just bites her lip and looks to Jared. Yes. She does know, but for some reason she's not telling me.

"What's wrong?"

"It's just . . . I don't want you to feel obligated to keep him in this body because you like him. Or the other way around, I guess. Just—think of what is best for the caves, okay? And for yourself. Please be selfish," she begged. I was now starting to worried.

"Okay," I agree, stepping forward. Jared pulls Mel into his arms and Jeb steps over to Ian, probably to make sure I'm fine. I walk over to where the cots are, pushed into the back of the room. Doc is leaning over one of them, talking quietly. He moves when I approach and I finally get a clear view of the body.

His skin is dark and warm, slightly crinkled with age and hard work. His eyes are a luminous silver, but behind them I can just make out a lovely brown. He's dressed in all white, and I almost forget his face and label him as SEEKER. But he's not. He's much better than a Seeker is. He's a much kinder Soul.

The man on the cot is my Healer.

"Healer Fords."

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**PLOT TWIST! I had to focus on something other than O'wanda, though their story will get a little bit more complicated soon. What do you think? Will Wanda let Fords stay in the caves, or will the humans make him leave? Let me know your prediction or ideas! **


	22. Chapter 21

"Wanderer," he whispers, sitting up slightly on his elbows. Doc pushes him back down and I gasp. Then I remind myself that I don't know which side the Healer is on. He could try to hurt us. "What are you doing here? In a different body?" he asks, his eyes searching the room frantically. Ian's hand tightens in mine and I know that he is anxious to get me away. He is assuming that Fords in a bad Soul.

"I . . It's very complicated, Healer. At the moment, I am more concerned with why _you're_ here," I said. We could discuss myself later-if he stayed that long. "Brandt, where did you find him?" I ask, whipping around.

"He was at the hospital a few hours away. We usually don't go there, but we didn't want to take any risks. You know him?" he wonders.

"Yes," I whisper. I am not sure if that is a good thing or a bad one.

"They took me, Wanderer. And when I woke up, there were so many humans. I . . I don't understand. Please help me," he begged, his eyes pleading. I remembering waking up to that face, to his kind, soothing voice as he eased me into the world.

"I will, I promise," I whisper. "Doc, is there any chance you could leave us alone? I think that an interrogation of sorts would be more successful if it was just me."

Doc tilts his head to the side, considering this. He looks to the others gathered around, who all seem to think this is a wise idea, and nods. They quickly file out-well, all but Ian. "I will be fine, don't worry. I just would like to talk to him," I murmur to him, pulling him away from the healer.

"Wanda . . he could try-"

"Ian, I promise you, he is not someone we should be that worried about. I'll tell you about him after, but I _need _to figure out this situation alone. He won't talk if you're here. He's terrified of humans, remember?" Ian flinches at the last part, a painful reminder of my species, but it seems to get the point across.

"So he's not a Seeker? Or anybody who could possibly cause you trouble?" he adds, still not convinced.

"No. He is just a Healer I know. I will only take a minute or two, then we can all discuss what should occur next." I look up at him hopefully, praying that he'll agree to this plan.

But he just runs a hand through his hair and closes his eyes. "Wanda," he starts. "There's not going to be a discussion. Not this time . . ."

"What do you mean?" I ask, now suddenly petrified. I don't know the Healer terribly well, but I didn't feel comfortable shipping him off to another planet without discussion. There should at least be a tribunal.

"I'll talk to you later. Five minutes." He ignores my question and kisses my forehead, walking away. I stand there for a moment longer, unsure of why he is leaving me hanging.

I hear someone clear their throat and turn around to see the tilting his head up, waiting for me. I walk over and help him up sit up completely, then hand him a glass of water. He drinks it gratefully as I explained. "About a year ago, when I first arrived, my host was, well, resisting. You knew that. She eventually became very powerful and led me here, to this place, to her family. Part of me wanted to come because of her emotions; they were manipulating what I thought of humans. And when I got here, things became complicated.

"The humans kept us as prisoner for a while. They were all angry that I was there, that I had stolen their sister or niece's or partner's body. But eventually, they let me work with them, speak with them, help them. I began to grow fond of many of the people here, including Melanie. She is like a sister to me." I can see his eyes growing wide as I say this, shocked by the idea of Souls and humans getting along. "And many of the people here-Jared, Jeb, Lily, Jamie-started to warm up to me, even though I was a Soul. And . . . a human, Ian.

"I knew I could not stay, though, even if the humans were growing to like me as well. They needed Melanie back and I could not deny them of her; it was her body. So I made a deal with Doc to be removed and then left to die. I was done wandering." He is staring at me intently now, focused on the story. He must have never heard of anything like it. All judgement from earlier is gone; he is just listening now. "But then I woke up a few days later, in a new body. The humans, they told me that they loved me too much, that they couldn't let me leave. And I didn't want to, either. This is my home. They are my home." I smile at the memory-waking up to find all of my family gathered around, Ian kissing me gently and Jamie encouraging me to open my eyes. It was such a wonderful day.

I conveniently leave out the recent events concerning my host, for it is not necessary, and look at him expectantly. His eyes are glowing bright like mine and his mouth is tight. He's thinking. "Healer? What do you think?"

"I don't know," he mumbles, almost inaudibly. "This whole time, I thought you were dead. Seekers, they all searched for you. We were afraid that you had been eaten in the desert or burned in a fire or something of that horror. I never would have guessed that you were . . that you were living alongside humans. _Willingly." _

I flinch at that and look away, avoiding his gaze. "If you knew them, I am sure you would feel the same."

"I don't know," he repeats. "They have not treated me very kindly. They drugged me and kept me locked in here. What are they going to do, Wanderer?"

"Wanda," I correct.

"What?"

"They call me Wanda here," I whisper shyly. He was the one that gave me my full name, but to have him call me that now seems wrong. That name is reserved for only certain people; the ones I care most about. Jamie, Mel, Ian. Especially Ian.

"Oh," he says, raising his eyebrows. "Wa-Wanda, what are they going to do to me? They will not kill me, will they?"

"No, Healer. They would never do that," I assure him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "They are not the barbarians you assume them to be. They will either let you stay here, if you prove trustworthy and if you would like, or they will ship you off to another planet. Of your choosing, of course."

"Another planet? But my life, my work, it's all here. Earth is my home." His face is now contorted with pain. He seems torn by the two possibilities: stay with the humans he so despises or leave the planet he loves.

"I know, Healer. But there is no other option. We must do what is best for us."

"Us? You're one of them now?" He seems disgusted.

"Yes," I admit, proudly. "I am. I am part of their family. To them, I am human." The words feel like a lie to me, but Ian would be smiling if he was listening.

"And why could you not let me go?"

"The Seekers, of course. You would tell them of us, of our resistance, our location. We would all die," I say sadly, looking down. Healer Fords was so nice as a Soul; could it be that he is just as disturbed by humans as all the others? I thought he might be better than that. "But you could stay, Healer. If you wish. I will introduce you to everyone. They will treat you kindly-they have been ever since I came along and they realized not all Souls are out to destroy their planet." I smile at that, thinking that that was such a Kyle line. Something he would definitely tell me. "You could work with Doc in the hospital. I'm sure he could use the assistance. Your medicines are so much more advanced then ours. You could help us greatly."

"Help you? Why? You have betrayed your species, Wanda." The Healer is now standing up, looking me right in the eyes. "Do you not remember who you are? Have the humans brainwashed you so much that you don't even know your own Soul?"

"No, Healer-"

"I don't understand, Wanderer. You were so wise when I first met you. So experienced, so brilliant. And now . . you have become this. I don't get it." The Healer looks away and I can see that this is my chance. The Healer isn't coming around, at least not anytime soon.

"Fine. Then if you wish to be a prisoner, so be it." I firmly walk away and pull Brandt inside. I ask him to take the Healer to the storage hole, but to let him come out if he wishes to talk to me. If he decides to at least attempt to meet the humans, he'll understand my feelings. Brandt complies and walks Fords Deep Waters out of the hospital and down the hallway.

Ian immediately enters the hospital, rushing to me. "What happened? Did he say anything? Are there Seekers?"

"No, it's fine. We're fine," I assure him. The others are all circled around me. "I just explained to him my story. He wanted to know what was going on, that's all. I then told him that he had a choice of whether to stay and cooperate. Or we could send him away. I believe he should have a choice." I look at Ian, remembering what he said earlier. _There's not going to be a decision. Not this time. _

"Fine, but I don't know how well that's going to go over with the others. They . . . they want him gone, Wanda. No matter what," Ian says gently.

"But, Ian-"

"I know. However you may know him, they don't care. Even Jeb. He's willing to give him a week or two, give him a chance, but it's most likely that they'll send him away. We just can't afford to lose any more humans right now." I look down, fighting back tears. Fords had treated me poorly today, but that doesn't mean I want him to go. He deserves a choice. I had one, Sunny had one. We should all receive one.

"Just give him time, please," I beg.

Ian looks over at Melanie, who seems to be thinking of the pros and cons. She knows Healer Fords. She knows that he could help us immensely with medecine, all that he could bring to the table. She purses her lips and then nods at Ian. "Fine, but you have to take this up with Jeb," he agrees. I wrap my arms around him and smile. He still isn't used to my larger frame, my wider hug, and shifts a little bit to adjust.

"Thank you," I mutter into his chest, gratefully.

"Anything for you," he says, kissing my head. "And since I gave you this, you owe me one answer." I raise my eyebrow at him, waiting for the question. "How do you know him? Healer . . . Fords, was it?"

I look over at Mel, who is carefully avoiding my eyes. She hasn't told him yet. I take a deep breath and stare straight into Ian's dual ocean irises. "He was my Healer."

"So . . ."

"He's the one that inserted me, Ian. He's the one that welcomed me to earth," I say, rushing to get the words out. This would anger him. It would definitely anger him. Maybe even make him jealous, fuel his desire to ship the Healer off to another planet. "He is the one who named me."

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**So, I have AP Testing this week and next, so I probably will not get another chapter up until maybe next Wednesday or Thursday. I hope this is enough to hold you over though :) Let me know what you think of Healer Fords. I didn't want to make him this kind of human-loving Soul immediately. I felt like any Soul, even a kind one, wouldn't react like that in the given situation. Does that make sense? **


	23. Chapter 22

**Thanks for being patient! I finished my last AP Exam today so I can now write more frequently!**

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I watch carefully as Ian's angry, confused, worried expression shifts into one of complete shock and surprise. His brow unfurls and shoots upwards; his lips part from their frown and turn into an 'o' shape. His eyes, deep as the sea, stare back at me, completely unknowing. I stare into them, forgivingly. I should not have told him.

"He- he's the one who _named _you? You didn't even pick a name?" he asks, his voice barely a whisper. His eyes are focused on my but I can tell that his head is racing, his mind a whirl as he tries to understand. His hand pulls away from mine and he rubs it through his hair, waiting desperately for an answer.

"No, Ian. We- we can if we want. I just, I didn't know what to call myself at the time. I had had so many names in the past, all of which never seemed right to me. This time, on this planet, I just . . . I let theme pick. And he did. Healer Fords named me." My voice is shy and I can feel the heat creeping into my cheeks. My heart is beating fast and I fight the urge to run away. I don't like confrontation, especially with Ian. He makes me feel so guilty; I just want everything to be okay for him.

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" he asks, a mixture of anger and sorrow twined in his voice.

"I didn't think it was important," I mutter.

"Not important? Wanda, god, it's your _name. _With him here, with him in the caves, how am I supposed to feel as if you belong to me? When he's the one who brought you here, into this world, and gave you an identity? How is that supposed to make me feel?" he yells, his voice making me shudder, his words punching me in the gut.

I step back and place a hand over my quivering lips and fight the urge to cry. "Ian, I'm sorry! I didn't know it was that important!" I say back to him, feeling overridden with guilt. "He doesn't mean anything to me, Ian. I love you and I don't care about him at all. I just don't want to kill him, that's all. You know it would be the same for anybody, for any Soul."

"But that doesn't change the fact that it's still him; still him who named you," he shouts. He's not angry at me, but at Fords, yet his anger makes me shudder and tears make their way down my face.

Before I can speak, attempt to apologize, Melanie steps up from where she's been waiting in the corner and swipes her hand cleanly across Ian's face. I gasp as she does so, crying out her name, but Melanie doesn't stop. She grabs him by the shoulders, his eyes still wide in surprise, and looks at him sternly. "Don't talk to her like that! Do you think she honestly cares about the Healer because he _named her? _God, Ian, you of all people should understand that she is just trying to be nice! Yes, he named her. But no, that doesn't mean she's attached to him and he to her." Guilt and regret are making their way through Ian's face, his mouth tightening as Melanie continues to rant. I stay quiet and listen, though I want to help Ian. Melanie throws a good punch, and I doubt he's not hurting. "She's a Soul, you idiot! He was the first person she met on the _planet_. Do you honestly think she wants to just send him off to another planet? No, of course not. But she also doesn't understand how much a name can mean to humans. She's had so many, Ian, that it doesn't hold the significance that it does here. Don't you understand that?" Mel was full out furious, her eyes glowing and her stare concentrated carefully on Ian. His left cheek has a large red mark forming, and his gaze is off of hers. He's staring at me, his eyes full of remorse.

"Wanda . . ." he starts, breaking free of Mel's grip and walking over to me. I shake as he wraps his arms around me and press my head into his chest. He strokes my back gently and I lean into him, wishing this had never happened. Why did the Healer have to get here? Why did he have to ruin everything? "I'm sorry, Wanderer. I was being stupid and rash. I just . . I got so angry. I even got jealous," he said, almost laughing. "With humans . . . we're usually named by our parents. It's kind of an important thing, I don't know. I just hate the idea of having someone so unimportant having chosen such a huge part of you." He takes my face and tilts my chin upwards so that we're level with each other. I try to breathe more evenly and find it simple. His voice calms me. "I didn't mean to treat you like that. It was stupid of me. I'm sorry," he repeats.

"It's okay," I say, my voice horse but steady. "I don't blame you. But I want to make sure you know that I don't have feelings for him. He's just the first Soul I knew, that's all. I would feel horrible if I didn't give him the opportunity to stay, or at least try to adjust. If it doesn't work, then we'll ship him away. But I couldn't bear to do that to him; to treat him so horribly when he was so kind to me when I first arrived."

"I understand," he nods, brushing his thumb against my cheek. "I'll go talk to Jeb about that, okay? Hopefully he'll understand." I can tell he doesn't want to keep on the current topic, he doesn't want to remind himself of his irrationality. He's so obviously guilty that I start to wonder if he picked that up from me. "I'm really sorry, Wanda. I love you, okay? Please know that."

"I do," I smile slightly. He leans in and presses his lips to my forehead and I wish to guide him down further, but I remember that Melanie's still here and pull away. "I'll talk to you at breakfast," I assure him. His gaze lingers on me for a moment longer before he finally pulls away and heads out of the caves, towards the plaza I presume.

"Are you really okay?" Mel asks as soon as he's gone, walking over to me. I nod tentatively. The last time Ian had gotten so mad was when I was in Melanie's body, when I told him I was leaving. "I'm not sorry I hit him," she smirks.

"Mel, you shoul-"

"I don't regret it, Wanda. He was being such a hypocrite and I got sick of it. And I have a bit of a temper." Her eyes light up and I can't help but smile. As much as I hate to see Ian in pain, I guess Mel's slap was kind of justified. "Come on, let's go eat," Mel smiles, wrapping an arm around my shoulder and pulling me out of the hospital.

We made a quick stop at Mel's room so that she could grab her water bottle before heading towards the dining area. When we get there, I'm surprised to find Ian already sitting down at a table with Jeb and a few others; Jamie, Lily, Jared, Trudy, and Doc. And someone else, who I can't make out from my view. Mel and I grab plates of cold eggs from Lucina and snatch a bread roll from the counter, taking a bite before I even sit down. I slide in beside Ian, who has already saved me a seat and begin to eat, only to realize who the person was. Healer Fords. He was _here? _He was supposed to be in the storage hole with Brandt- I hated the idea of keeping there, but didn't know where else. Even if Jeb had decided to allow him to stay, there was no way he could have gotten here so fast. Jeb couldn't have decided just like that.

Ian notes my surprise and pulls me close to him to whisper in my ear. "Jeb still is undecided, but he said that breakfast was a good place to start; to see if he deserves to stay here. And I thought I could make it up to you," he states, pulling away before I can respond. Make it up to me? For getting angry? If there weren't so many people around, I would scold him for feeling guilty.

Instead, I carefully turn towards Healer Fords, who is sitting slightly away from Lily, who's at his side. It's as if he's afraid of human contact. He might actually be. He's quietly nibbling at his eggs, removed from the group but seemingly glad to have been given food. He doesn't understand how hospitable the humans are yet. "So, Fords, is it?" Jeb starts, breaking away from a prior conversation with Doc. The Healer looks up, shocked to being spoken to and nods quietly. His eyes are narrowed as he silently evaluates what's going on. He must understand by now that this is a sort of test, to see if he's fit to stay. He is very smart, after all. "You're a Healer back outside. What's it like? I'm sure Doc's mighty interested," he inquires.

Doc turns his head, anxious to listen, and I quickly stuff my mouth with food. I don't want to have to speak at all during this interrogation. Fords has stopped chewing and is now looking between Jeb and I. I keep my gaze focused on my food but watch him from the corner of my eye. "It is very satisfying. To be able to help so many of my _own kind_ is such a reward." He looks pointedly at me and I slump deeper into my seat. "I mainly deal with insertions, but I occasionally help with more complicated medical cases."

"Complicated? What do you mean?" Doc asks, obviously curious. Even Ian seems a bit interested.

Fords shifts uncomfortably in his seat at the end, weighing his thoughts. "There are some problems we have not completely corrected yet. Not many, but a few. Mutations that occur during insertion. Problems with nerve connectivity between host and Soul. I am one of the specialists in the study."

Even I'm impressed by that. I had not known this of the Healer. "How so?" Doc urges, now leaning on his elbow over the table to get a better view of the Healer.

"Some hosts have strange reactions; paralysis, sensory problems, rashes, et cedera. Certain human bodies are very . . . strong and somehow have blocked their nerves subconsciously. This has resulted in Souls not being able to access specific functions: sight, memory, motor skills, and sometimes speech. Only a dozen or so cases have been reported of such incidents, but we are trying to ensure that it does not happen again."

"Why do you think it's happening? What's your theory?" Jeb asks.

He takes a deep breath and looks away for a moment. He's not sure whether to say it or not. "You won't offend anyone," I tell him, knowing exactly what he's thinking. He furrows his brow at me, surprised to hear my voice, but finally turns back to Jeb and Doc.

"I believe that, as humans become more aware of what's going on, their immune systems are beginning to fight back. Form antibodies and B cells, attempt to fight off our Souls as if they were a bacteria. The bodies don't know any difference. And the longer that the humans have been . . . resisting, the more problems that seem to occur upon insertion." His voice is quiet now. I wonder what he's thinking about, whether he hates these humans is or simply scared of them. Whether he's accepted his fate or whether he's formulating a plan to leave.

"So, if one of us were to get captured now," Jared starts, strangely interacting with a Soul. Though he's grown fond of Sunny and I, I know that he will still never accept us completely. Even after his argument with Mel. To see him so openly talking to this new Soul makes me wonder if he's changing at all. For Mel's sake, I hope so. "We would probably cause mutations?"

"I assume so. Though it's only a suspicion. There are too few cases to know for sure." He smiles at that, proud that this problem hasn't manifested itself too much.

"And what of the bodies? What happens to them?" Mel asks. Her eyes are narrow and her voice is inquisitive.

"We, uh, store them. For further study and experimentation." Everyone's eyes widen at that and Ian makes a disgusted noise. Jamie looks terrified and Mel wraps an arm around him.

"They don't wake up? Are they even _alive_?" Mel asks, angry.

"No," Fords explains. "The immune response seem to be like a sort of self-destruct system. It kills the human before it can be possessed by means of the symptoms I explained earlier."

Everybody seems slightly relieved at that. The Souls aren't experimenting on live humans. "Well, I think we best be getting to work," Jeb says after a long moment of silence. No one really wants to dwell on the subject. "Let's go!"

I quickly shuffle away from the crowd, towards the kitchen to work, but I can hear Jeb speaking to Fords a little bit away from me. "I'll give you a week, Fords. If by then you like what we've got here, you're welcome to stay. We'll talk about the terms later. But if not, we'll let you go to another planet. Deal?" I watch as the Healer reluctantly nods and shakes hands with Jeb.

Just One week.

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**I hope that wasn't too fast of a shift from the hospital to the dining hall. I just didn't want to separate it into two chapters. Let me know what you think of Ian's reaction. He's been too nice in this fic; he needed to get mad! And what do you think of Fords? Will he want to stay or will he leave? **


	24. Chapter 23

**Wow thanks for the reviews guys! I'm glad you guys are getting emotional haha. Well here's ch. 23!**

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"So what do you think, Wanda?" Trudy asks me as I scrub violently at the plate in my hand. My hands are sore and my mind is tired; there's been so much to think about lately.

"Huh?" I reply, not really sure what she's talking about. Has she been trying to talk to me? Have I been ignoring her this whole time? I already feel horrible.

"About Fords. Do you think he's going to stay?" she explains. I purse my lips and set the clean dish on top of the stack. I wipe my hands on a towel as I gather my thoughts, turning to face her.

"I don't know. He was very . . . angry when he got here, but now he seems fine with it. I'm not sure if he's acting or if he's really starting to understand that humans are not the enemies."

"Acting? Wanda, you still can't even lie for your life. How would a Soul, especially a Healer, be able to act that well?" Lily laughs, poking me in the shoulder and joining in on the conversation. I smile at that, my cheeks already rosy.

"I don't know but it's possible. He just seemed to adjust so quickly; I don't know if we should trust him just yet." I pick up a tray of silverware and start to work on those, cleaning each utensil carefully.

"But you know him, Wanda. Don't you trust him already?" Trudy wonders, helping me with the tableware.

I take in a deep breath and close my eyes, thinking. "I did trust the Healer. He helped me so much when I arrived here. But now, when his opinions on humans are shifting so quickly, I do not know what to believe." My voice is steady but my hands are shaking. I push the fork I'm washing aside.

"Well, he seems trustworthy to me. He did just give us all that information on the, um, mutations," Lily adds. She's begun to work on a large pot, soaking it in water and scrubbing gently. "What do you think about those?"

"I'm happy about it," Trudy says. "I mean, it's horrible that humans are dying because of it, but it means that we're fighting back. Our species must be evolving to be immune to the Souls. That's good right?"

"I think so," Lily says. I stay quiet, not sure how I feel about the topic. I agree with Trudy: it's good that humans are fighting back outside of the caves. But it also scares me. Now, if one of us were taken, we'd have no hope of surviving. Before we had a chance of saving any captured humans, like we tried with Jodi. We would simply find their Souled self, remove the Soul, and wake them up. It was easy. But now, my humans would simply self-destruct on themselves. They'd die. "If it means that less and less Souls our able to live, then I'm happy."

I bite my lip at that, trying not to look at them. Lily's comment wasn't meant to be mean directed at me, but for some reason it still stung. She's _happy _that Soul's are being denied life. But don't I feel the same? I value human lives over Souls'? I don't know anymore. "Wanda? You okay?" Trudy asks, noticing my quietness.

"I'm fine," I reply immediately, making sure to keep my voice even. "Just thinking." I finish the last of the silverware and place them in the bin again. I dry my hands on a towel and pull my hair out of its tie. "I'm going to go find Ian. I'll see you all later."

"Bye, Wanda!" Trudy calls, smiling at me as I leave. Lily repeats it before returning to her unfinished pile of dirty dishes. I should help them, but I need to talk to Ian. I fight away the selflessness and proceed towards the fields.

I make my way quickly towards the tunnel, anxious to see him. I feel bad about earlier, when he got angry at me over my name, and I want to see him. I know it wasn't my fault, but I can't help feeling that it is. I should have told him a long time ago. "Wanda?" somebody calls as I'm approaching the field.

I turn around to see Sunny, staring at me anxiously. "Hi, Sunny!" I say cheerily, covering up my thoughts.

"Have you seen Kyle?" she asks, looking nervous. "I can't find him anywhere."

"No, sorry. I've been doing dishes for the last hour or so," I shrug. "Is something wrong?" Sunny bites her lip and looks away. She doesn't want to talk about it. "It's okay. You don't have to tell me. If I see Kyle, I'll let him know you're looking for him." I smile gingerly at her before completing the walk towards the caves.

Ian is in the far right corner, his shirt off, his chest drenched in sweat. His smooth muscles ripple as he raises his scythe and brings it down smoothly onto the wheat, cutting cleanly. I suck in a sharp breath at the sight of him. Then I walk over towards him, giving small waves as I pass others, working hard as always. "Ian," I say when I reach him, waiting for him to notice me. He's so concentrated on his work.

"Wanderer." He closes the distance between us and kisses me gently on the lips, making me shiver. "What's wrong?" he asks immediately, pulling away and seeing my drawn expression.

"Nothing. I just . . I really wanted to see you," I say shyly. He laughs and pulls me closer, stroking my head.

"Are you sure nothing happened?" He isn't convinced. "Is this about Fords? Or something else?" I stay silent, confirming his suspicion. "Wanda, I'm sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have gotten ma-"

"Ian, I'm not angry with you. Really. It was my fault I didn't tell you earlier about him," I shrug and sit down against the cave wall. He does the same and wraps his arm around my shoulders so that I can lean into him. "I'm just thinking about what he said. About the mutations."

"It's good, isn't it?" Ian grins. He seems so relieved by this news. "We're fighting back without een knowing it. This is great, Wanda."

"Yes," I agree. "But I'm worried. About you, about everyone."

"Why is that?" he asks, furrowing his brow in a way that makes me want to kiss him. He's so cute when he does that.

"Because now you're in more danger." I sigh and look away from him, scared that I'll cry if I continue to think about him being taken. "If one of us were to be found, there's no way we would live. Fords said that we- well, you - would probably all resist the Souls. That your immune system would fight back. If that's the case, then we won't be able to save you. Any of you." My voice is rough and I know that if I consider this any longer I'll become a wreck. I can't imagine losing Ian for good. I'd rather have him taken by a Soul then self-destruct, as selfish as that sounds. I know he would chose the latter.

"Wanda, that's not going to happen. I promise," he said, kissing my cheek gently. "No one's going to get captured. And no one's going to die."

I don't believe him, but I really want to. I want it to all be okay. "But, Ian, it could happen. Any one of you could be taken."

"Yes, it could happen," Ian agrees, sighing and tilting his head back. "But it won't. I swear."

The conversation isn't over but I let it drop. There's no need for me to dwell on the what-ifs. Instead, I stand up and brush the dirt off of my jeans. Ian pulls himself up beside me and pulls me in close, pressing his forehead to mine. "Please, Wanda. Don't think like that. Everyone is safe. No one's going away anytime soon," he assures me.

I nod and step away, smiling at first. But then a wave of disgust washes over me. My face contorts in pain and I clutch my stomach, feeling nauseous. "Wanda?" Ian asks nervously, rushing towards me. I shoo him away, though, and heave forward, retching into the dirt. I cough a few times before wiping my arm across my mouth, a foul, bitter taste left. "Oh, Wanda, we should get you to Doc," Ian says, scooping me up into his arms and carrying me off towards the hospital.

"What's wrong?" I hear Mel say from behind me, noticing my drooping head and sickly pale face. My stomach aches and I fight the urge to puke again.

"Is she okay?" Jared murmurs, joining Mel and following behind us.

"She's fine," Ian says, turning his head back slightly. "Just feeling nauseous." Ian continues down the tunnels, careful to keep his hold on me steady and smooth. "Don't worry, Wanda," he whispers to me, nervousness laced in his voice.

"Let me know if she needs anything!" Mel calls from behind. I hear her footsteps stop and I assume that she's decided not to follow. She know from past experiences that Ian doesn't exactly like company when he's trying to protect me.

I cough in his arms and grab my stomach, my small breakfast from this morning churning uncomfortably. Ian looks even more worried at this, but luckily reaches the hospital in time. He lays me down on a cot and rushes over to Doc. "Wanda just threw up, Doc. I think she's got a virus or something," he explained. I noticed Healer Fords by his side. They were probably discussing medicines and such before we walked in. He looks equally curious as Doc at my current state.

"Let me see," he says, walking over to me. He presses a cool hand against my head and breathes a sigh of relief. "Temperature's normal. Wanda, do you have a dry throat? Stuffy nose? Headache?" he asks.

I shake my head at all of these and swallow hard. Ian quickly finds a bottle of water and hands it to me. I drink gratefully and breathe a sigh of relief as I sit back on the cot, instantly feeling better. "Maybe you ate something bad, Wanda," Doc says, studying a cabinet full of Soul medecine, probably deciding on what to use. "Just to be safe, we should probably keep you in here for a little while."

"Ease," Fords says quietly.

"Huh?" Doc asks, looking back at him.

"You should use Ease on her. It will help calm her stomach," he explains, pointing to a silver bottle on the top shelf. Doc snatches it up and instructs me to hold out my tongue. I do so and he places a small strip on it. I close my mouth and feel it dissolve. My stomach immediately starts to settle and I do, indeed, feel more at ease.

"Thank you, Fords," Doc says, smiling at him. No matter what anyone else in the caves may think, Doc definitely likes having the help in the hospital. Ian walks over to me and kisses me gently on the fore head, smoothing my hair back. I nod in response to his silent question, assuring him I'm okay. "Do you have any suspicions on what's wrong with her?"

"Isn't it obvious?" the Healer asks, raising one eyebrow.

Doc and Ian exchange looks of confusion and I feel equally befuddled. Then I look at Fords, who is smiling slyly. His eyes keep darting between Ian and I and I quickly understand what he's discovered. "What do you think, Fords?" Doc asks, not catching on.

But I am, and I am suddenly filled with nervousness. My head spins and my vision becomes blurry. I don't know what to think, how to feel. A mix of joy and anxiety, excitement and fear wash over me. Ian studies my expression and looks questioningly towards Fords. "You don't think . . ."

"Yes," Healer confirms. Doc's eyes widen in understanding and a hint of a smile forms on his lips. "I believe that Wanderer here is pregnant."

* * *

**AHHH! Okay, so that was kind of expected but I really wanted to get that plot moving along. So there it is! What do you think about it? Do you like Fords at all? And what do you think Sunny is hiding? Let me know your predictions! I'm curious to see what you all think :) **


	25. Chapter 24

**AllyKat8: Thank you so much for the little shout-out! EVERYONE SHOULD CHECK OUT HER STORY THE HUMAN BECAUSE IT IS PERFECTION **

**And there were a lot of requests to update soon, so I wrote as quickly as possible!**

* * *

Ian is staring at me with the most beautiful expression I have ever seen: his eyes wide in excitement, so blue and full of hope; his smile large and crooked and contagious. And his hands, squeezing mine tightly enough to hold the weight of the news.

I'm pregnant.

"Wanda?" Ian breathes, barely audible. I realize that I've been staring at him for quite a long time. Not really comprehending, just stuck in a state of shock. "Are you okay?" he asks, switching gears. Of course, even in this moment when he should be thrilled and excited, he's thinking of me first. He wants to make sure I'm okay with this before he celebrates. Sometimes he's just as selfless as I am.

I don't respond aloud; I just nod slightly. I don't know whether I'm smiling or not, whether my eyes are harsh or filled with joy. I don't know what I feel. "Wanda, I know this is shocking but you have to stay calm," Doc says to me, placing a hand on my shoulder. I can feel the smile in his voice. He's excited for me, for us. As he should be.

Why don't I feel the same?

"I am calm," I murmur, looking away from all of them. I can see Healer Fords in the corner of my eye, his expression a mixture of wonder and disgust. Did I tell him about Ian and I? Did he know of our partnership? Or is this all a surprise to him? "I just . . I need a minute," I say, standing up and pushing away from them. I brush past the Healer, ignoring Ian and Doc's worried calls, and make my way down a familiar tunnel.

People try to stop me as I go, taking note of my vacant stare and probably horrific expression. But I don't stop walking. Not until I reach the storage hole.

I rush inside of the tiny hole, cramming my body inside. It's much harder than it was before in Pet's or even Mel's body; they both had very lean frames. But Emily is more curvy, taller, and it requires a bit more flexibility to fit myself inside. But I do it.

Once inside, I close my eyes and try to think. Try to get my mind to stop blazing, my head to stop spinning, my stomach to stop churning. But it's no use. I can't think a clear thought. Words rush through my head: family, marriage, Ian, Soul, Healer, unfair, love, human, selfless, pregnant. Pregnant, pregnant, _pregnant_.

I take long, focused breaths until the words no longer blur together. I can see clearly and I can finally pick out a few emotions. Happiness. Good, I think. At least I'm happy for myself and Ian. I want this, after all: a family with him. Even if it's going to be impossible to raise a child in this torn world, I want this.

Fear. For what the others will say to this. For all the pain this will bring. For the thought of having a kid that despises my species.

And there's just a glimmer of it, but there it is: selflessness. I'm still worried about everyone else's problems in the caves, despite my own, new, and probably much more drastic, one. I wonder how Healer Fords is adjusting, whether he'll choose to stay or not. And I'm scared that something is wrong between Sunny and Kyle. And I hope that Mel and Jared are going to be able to get married soon. I feel so many emotions for others that they start to blend in with my own until I realize that I've been crying, unbeknownst to me.

And Ian's there.

I hadn't realized it, but he's been sitting a few feet away, silent as ever, waiting for me. Not forcing himself onto me, trying to calm me down. Just letting me do it myself, how he knows I like to do it. I look up and over at him, my face contorted in pain and relief and happiness and fear, and he immediately rushes to my side. I let him pull me out of my cramped position, unfold me in his arms. I weep into his shirt as he strokes my back, my hair, my cheeks. He kisses my forehead and murmurs _it's okay _ over and over again.

"I'm sorry," I finally manage, looking up to meet his face. He replies by kissing my wet cheeks, my eyelids, and finally my lips. He tilts his forehead against mine and I fight the urge to pull away. I hate having to ruin this for him. "I'm happy, Ian, I am. Please don't think that I'm not. But . . . there's just so much going on right now. Mel and Jared, Healer Fords, this new body. It's so much." I take a deep breath and purse my lips. I'm surprised he hasn't interrupted me yet and tried to scold me for defending myself. "And I just don't know what to feel anymore."

"Wanderer. My wanderer," he whispers, pulling me even closer, though it shouldn't have been possible. He snakes his arms around my head and drags his calloused hands across my face, making me shiver. "It's okay to not know how to feel. This is a lot. Way to much for one person to be able to handle. I'm so proud of you for staying so strong. You haven't broken down over any of this yet, you haven't stopped trying to do what's right. Don't beat yourself up because there's too much going on around you. It's out of your control. No one can take on that much stress; you're only human."

"But I'm not," I murmur, my lips trembling.

"You are, Wanda. In every way that matters. Maybe not physically, but I don't care about that. I care about you-your thoughts, your words, your emotions. And those, they're telling you how to feel right now, they're completely human." Ian trails his fingers down my back. It's very calming. "And even if they weren't, I would love you anyway."

I kiss him gently on his lips in reply, not ready to form the right words. He doesn't take advantage of me and let's me lead, holding him lightly in my hands. He matches my movements with his lips, gets in sync, and lets me go when I start to pull away. "Thank you, Ian," I tell him, sniffing.

"Of course," he says. "You shouldn't worry about Mel and Jared. They are fine. And Healer Fords, well everything with him will be sorted out by the end of the week. And you shouldn't worry about your body, Wanda. I know it's hard to adjust, but everyone has accepted you for who you are. Just focus on yourself for once. Especially now." A glint of a smile forms on his lips and I can tell he's thinking of the latest news.

I nod slightly and look down at my stomach, imagining the young human that was growing inside. I do not know much about human reproduction, aside from the basics. The idea of it all, learning it first hand, terrified me slightly, but I knew Ian and Doc would help me through it. And maybe Lucina, as she is a fairly new mother herself. "Wanda," Ian whispers, following my gaze.

"Yeah?"

"You really are happy, aren't you? You don't have to lie to me. I . . . I don't want you to do something you don't want to." Ian swallows hard, probably considering what it would me if I told him no. An abortion? Would I ever even be able to do such a thing? No. Ian should know better. "Because you know that I want a family. But not at your expense. I'll do whatever you want, okay?"

"Ian," I say, fighting back more tears. I look into his deep blue eyes, the ones that drown me and revive me all the same. "This is everything I could possibly want. I'm so happy that it's happening, you don't even know. To be able to have a family with you, there is nothing else I could ask for."

* * *

We don't tell anybody about the news yet. Only Doc, Fords, Ian and I know of it. I made them promise not to tell. I understand that the time isn't right, what with everything going on. More news will only cause more drama and more chaos.

Fords took the news rather well, accepting my relationship with a human fairly quickly. He was a bit disgusted by the idea, but eventually came around. He's been here for three days now and I'm starting to remember why I liked him so much in the first place. He is very kind to everyone, very helpful in the hospital. He's smart in a strange way; witty and clever rather than just knowledgable.

And he seems to like the humans. Though his initial response was drastic, he is swiftly realizing that humans are as kind as Souls, though slightly more agressive at times. The other day, Kyle and Brandt were wrestling together and the expression on Fords' face was indescribable. He was so shocked by the violence and it made me wonder if I had looked like that when I first got here. Ian assured me I was much worse.

I'm working in the kitchen again - Doc forbade me from doing any real labor in the fields - when Sunny walks in, looking just as panicked as the other day. "Hi, Sunny."

"Oh, Wanda! Kyle won't talk to me. He's ignoring me. He's so angry. I don't know what to do," Sunny rushes to get the words out. I look immediately for any traces of scars of bruises, immediately assuming that Kyle hurt her. "He didn't hurt me, Wanda," she says, noticing me. "He would never do that."

I'm not so sure about that, but I let it drop. "What happened?" I ask. What would make Kyle so mad that he'd keep away from Sunny?

"I don't want to leave," she mumbles. I furrow my brow, not understanding. She didn't answer my question and I'm starting to get worried.

"Sunny, what happened?" I repeat, holding her shoulders. Paige, who is working on the dishes with me, finally seems to notice something's wrong and puts her pan down, walking over to me, concerned.

"I don't want to leave, Wanda. Please, please, don't make me leave," she repeats, tears washing down her face. She stuffs her face into my shirt and I wrap my arms gingerly around her. I look to Paige nervously and she shrugs.

"Go find Kyle," I mouth to her and she hurries off. Once Sunny has pulled herself together slightly, I repeat my question one more time: "What happened?"

She swallows hard and shakes her head, wiping violently at her eyes. She's shuddering and her breathing is so quick, too quick. "She's back," she sobs. "Jodi's back."

* * *

**GAHHH! So another plot twist (as you can see, I'm a huge fan of them). There is a point to all of the twists, though. They are all going to interlock together, and you'll see how soon. What do you think of Wanda's reaction? Do you think it's appropriate? And what about Jodi? Let me know your assumptions :) I love hearing them! **


	26. Chapter 25

**So many reviews! Ahh thank you so much to everyone who has been supporting my story. I don't like getting reviews just to know that my stories good (or not); I like input. I love it when you guys comment on what you think should or will happen. It's interesting to see a perspective of the story other than mine. Anyways, thank you guys! I'm glad that you like this story so much :) **

I am sitting on my bed, rocking Sunny gently in my arms. She's been crying for the past hour or two, nonstop, and I haven't been able to get much of an explanation out of her. She's a total wreck; completely distraught, filled with fear, and torn between her own emotions and Jodi's.

Jodi.

Paige couldn't find Kyle anywhere. I sent Ian to go look for him, but he came back with nothing but the shake of a head. He's sitting beside me now, helping to comfort both Sunny and I. He knows I'm already in a vulnerable state from the latest events, and this just adds to the chaos. Melanie is leaning against the wall, her eyes locked on a spot of the wall, thinking hard. Jared and Jamie were here earlier, but I don't think Sunny liked all the attention, so I asked them to leave. Jared went to look outside of the caves for Kyle, though he only left a little while ago.

"Shh, it's okay," I whisper again, stroking her back gently. Ian tries to give her a smile but I can tell he's uncomfortable. He wants so desperately to be excited by this news- after all, Jodi is like a sister to him. But he can't do that to Sunny. It wouldn't be fair right now.

From what Sunny's let up, Jodi came back a few days ago, though barely. Sunny started _feeling _a presence in the back of her mind, though it wasn't completely formed yet. Then she started seeing more memories of Jodi's, closer to when she was captured. And finally, yesterday, she heard her voice. No one knows what happened between her and Kyle after she told him, and we're trying to figure that out. I don't want to push her, though. She's so scared, so fragile. I feel bad questioning her.

"Sunny? Do you think you could tell us what happened?" I ask after a little bit. She's still crying, though less harshly. Her sobs have grown quieter and more infrequent.

She sniffed and pulled away, brushing her long, black strands from her face. Her cheeks are matted with tears and her Soul eyes are glowing bright, puffy, red lids heavy over them. She nods slightly and gathers herself for another moment before talking in a small voice, like when she first arrived in the caves. "I went to tell Kyle yesterday, right before I talked to you. He was really happy. I . . . I've never seen him so happy. And he," Sunny stops, taking a deep breath. "He kissed me and told me that he loved me and that this was the best day of his life. I . . I didn't realize he wasn't talking to _me." _She looks awkwardly at Ian, probably not wanting him to hear this, but doesn't say anything about it. She's too sweet to say so. "And he went to go get Doc. He practically dragged me to the hospital, the whole time talking to her. Not me."

She takes another long shaky breath and I realize that Sunny is really in love with him. She loves Kyle. Not in the way that I loved Jared while in Mel's body, but really, genuinely loves him. How awful it must be to have him speaking to her, kissing her, when he only loves her body. I take her hand in mine and give it an enthusiastic squeeze. "Doc wasn't there. It was around breakfast time, so I guess he was eating. Kyle wanted to wait there. He . . he made me sit on the cot and got a new cyrotank out and everything. He was so excited," she sobs. Her voice is cracking again and I rub her back gently. I can't imagine what that must've felt like; if Jared had forced me into the hospital as soon as he knew Melanie was in my head with me. It must have been dreadful.

She swallows hard and continues on. "I finally told him to stop. That I didn't want to leave. That this was my body, too, and I deserved some say in it." She looks guilty, as if speaking up for herself in the moment was wrong. "He got so angry. So, so angry. He started yelling at me, calling me . . names. He al-" She topped, but I could tell where she was going. _He almost hit me. _But he must've stopped when he realized it would be like hitting Jodi. Just like once Jared knew Mel was inside; he started treating me better. "He told me that he hated me and he never cared about me. He just wanted Jodi back. And that I couldn't stay. I kept saying that I wasn't ready to go; that it wasn't fair. He got so terribly mad, Wanda." She looks into my eyes, as if pleading for me to change the past. Ian now looks more angry at his brother than when he tried to kill me, if that's possible. How could Kyle have said such horrible things? It didn't make sense.

"And then he ran off. And I came to you, hoping you'd seem him. And when he didn't come back to the room that night, I got worried. No one said anything about him being gone; maybe he was just avoiding _me _and not everyone else. Either way, I was scared this morning. So I came to you," she shrugs and sniffs again. Her eyes are bloated and gloomy, her nose and cheeks flushed red. I just want to wrap her up in my arms and make it all okay.

"I'm going to kill him," Ian mutters, his fists clenching.

"Ian, no! It's my fault! I should have let me take me out. It's Jodi's body, not mine. I was being selfish," Sunny protests.

"Sunny, stop that. You weren't being selfish. He was the one being selfish, trying to force you out of your body immediately. That wasn't fair to you."

Sunny nods, though I know she isn't convinced. Like me, she blames herself for everything. "I just thought that maybe, just maybe, he loved me to. That he wasn't only nice to me because of Jodi," Sunny whispers. It's almost inaudible.

"Sunny," Ian says, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Are you crazy? Do you think Kyle actually didn't like you? Sunlight Passing Through The Ice, please don't tell me you're that blind," he almost laughs. "Kyle loves you Sunny. Maybe not in the same way that he feels about Jodi, but he loves you. I know it. He talks to me about you all the time. He thinks you're beautiful and kind, sweet and understanding. When he said that yesterday- as horrible as it is - he was just reacting to his anger. Not his real emotions. Humans, we do that a lot. He was being rash. Sunny, Kyle loves you. That's a fact."

Sunny was smiling at him. She knew she could trust Ian, that he wouldn't lie to her. I look at Ian with so much relief and love. He is so perfect. I didn't deserve someone like him. "Really?" Sunny mumbles.

"Of course. God, Sunny he never stops looking at you. I'm sure part of it is because of Jodi, but he's a lot different with you than he was with Jodi. I can tell. He feels different," Ian says, smiling at her.

"Good different?"

"Yes, Sunny," Ian laughs.

"So why is he so mad? Why is he gone?" she says, now worried again.

"He's probably just angry that he can't have you and Jodi both. Not right now, at least," Mel says, finally chiming into the conversation.

"Well, that's easy. We just have to get Sunny a new body," Ian shrugs as if it's so obvious.

"See, that's the problem," Mel says and I have a feeling this is what she's been thinking about the whole time. "We can't just get her any old host right now. Not after what Fords said." I remember Fords talking, telling us of the horrible, deathly mutations in many of the humans. If we put Sunny into a new body . . . There's no telling what could go wrong. "If we were to get a body that's already been Souled, remove that Soul, and put Sunny in, there's a greater chance it will have some resistance. Even with Fords here, things could go wrong. He said it himself: he doesn't know how to cure this. If Sunny's host reacts to her insertion, she could die." Sunny's eyes go wide at that and Mel rushes to assure her of her safety. "No, Sunny, not you! You'd be fine as long as we removed you in time. The human, though. We . . can't do that. We have to find another way."

"Can't we just bring back a few hosts? Not all of them are going to fight back," Ian suggests, which I find strange. He would usually be opposed to such an act against humans, but he must be as desperate as I feel to save Sunny.

"We could, but I don't know how everyone would feel about that. That's not exactly safe: both for the secrecy of the caves and for the humans themselves," Mel sighs.

Sunny is holding her head now, covering her eyes. Tears puddle on her nose, then drip off slowly, one by one. "Sunny, it's okay. We'll figure it out!" I tell her.

"No, that's not it."

"What, then? If this is about Kyle, please don't worry. I'm sure Jared will find him soon. You can talk and work things out. I'll talk to him if you want. I'll beat the crap out of him first, but we can talk after," Ian suggests. I give him a warning look.

"Jodi," she mumbles. "She's talking."

Oh. Ian leans in, eager to hear what she's going to say. Mel walks over from her spot on the wall and sits on the ground in front of us, leaning her elbows on the edge of the mattress. "What is she saying?" Ian asks hesitantly, but Sunny doesn't seem to mind the question.

"She's . . she's mad at Kyle," Sunny laughs, a hint of a smile on her lips. We all smile at that. Ian's grin is the widest, as he knows Jodi the best. Mel looks at me and winks, probably remembering - as I am - all the times that she would get mad at Jared for treating me poorly. It's the same thing with Jodi, I guess. "And she's worried about me. And about you, Ian. She says . . she says that she missed all of you and that she's glad that you found her. And that, um, I was inserted into her rather than some mean Soul." I giggle at this. Ian's eyebrows twist as he tries to imagine a _mean Soul. _Jodi must not realize that that's nearly impossible. "She's not very strong right now. She can barely talk, since she just regained consciousness. But it seems like she doesn't want me to give up her body. Not yet, at least. She," Sunny squints, trying to focus on the glimmer of a voice in the back of her head. "She wants to make sure that, if I'm removed, I'll be safe. Otherwise she won't let me go."

More tears flow down her cheeks, but these ones are happy tears. Jodi loves Sunny like Mel loves me. They have that same bond, even if Jodi was unconscious for the most part. "See, Sunny? Everybody wants you to be safe. We'll figure it out, I promise," I tell her, taking her hand and squeezing.

"Okay," she grins and then focuses hard. Jodi must be trying to talk. "She wants you to punch Kyle, Ian." Ian bursts out laughing at this and pats Sunny on the back.

"Good to have you back, Jodes," he smiles and Sunny looks down shyly. "I promise I will punch him for you. Extra hard!"

"Ian!" Sunny and I scold simultaneously.

"Come on, Wanda! You're not seriously going to let him go for this one?" He raises an eyebrow at me. I may not be able to argue with that, even though I'm very against violence. "Anyway, we should go talk to the others. Maybe they'll have some ideas. Sunny, you should get some rest."

"Okay," she agrees immediately. Rest will do her well.

"Wanda, Mel, let's-" he stops as I stand up and cover my mouth, running off of the bed and over to a small bin that we've begun keeping in the room. I throw up into, gagging and choking. I feel Ian's hands grab me from behind, holding my hair up, and rubbing my back soothingly. I retch into the bin and finally finish, then lean back against Ian. "Sunny, will you pass me that water?" Ian asks, pointing to cup on the small table in our room.

She immediately runs it over to me and I drink gratefully, washing the sickening taste away.

"Oh, god, Wanda," Mel says, holding her head. "How could I be so stupid? Food poisoning? _Really_? How did I miss that?" she exclaims, thinking aloud. I close my eyes, not wanting to watch her expression as she finishes the thought. Ian tenses up and I have a feeling that Sunny is looking around, confused. "Thanks for telling me, Wanderer," she says sarcastically.

"Telling you what?" Sunny asks innocently.

"Oh my god," Mel just says. "Wanda is _pregnant_!"

* * *

**That was a long chapter! What do you think of Kyle's reaction? And of Jodi being back? Will Sunny have to stay in her, will a new host resist, or will she be fine? And how do you like Mel finding out about the pregnancy this way? I feel like Mel's too close with Wanda to miss something like this! **

**Also, I probably won't get another chapter up until Monday. Maybe earlier, but doubtful. I have family coming in for the weekend, but we'll see! **


	27. Chapter 26

**Okay, so since there's a lot going on, here is a quick refresher:**

**-Mel & Jared are getting married  
-Healer Fords is in the caves and has a few days to decide if he's staying or not  
-Wanda is pregnant and in a new body (though that happened a while ago)  
-Jodi is back but Sunny can't be removed because of the mutations occurring during insertion, thus causing a problem**

**I know it's a lot, but it keeps the story from getting boring (I hope!)**

* * *

"Why didn't you tell me?!" Mel exclaims, gesturing dramatically with her hands. "This is _huge, _Wanda!"

"Mel, I - I didn't tell anybody, yet!" I say, feeling guilty. I stand up despite Ian's protests to keep me seated. He's been even more protective ever since we found out I was pregnant. "I'm sorry! I was going to tell you first, I promise."

"I'm not mad at you, Wanda!" Mel laughs, placing her hands on my shoulders. "It's an expression, Wanda. I'm _excited!" _

Oh. Again, I curse my lack of knowledge on human terms. But before I can dwell on it, Mel's pulling me into a huge hug, squeezing me tight. "Ahh, Wanda! This is so great! I'm really happy for you," she smiles, her eyes glinting. "And, you too, of course," she says to Ian, hugging him. He hugs her back, though I can tell he wishes that we had told her differently.

"You're not mad? I thought that with the weddi-"

"Wanda," she says seriously, giving me her famous _don't be stupid _face. "What do Jared and I have to do with you and Ian? So what if we're getting married? That doesn't mean anything for you two." She smiles slyly and I can tell she's genuinely happy.

"Thanks, Mel." I hug her again and she makes sure to embrace me fully.

"Congratulations, Wanda, Ian, " Sunny says from her spot on the bed. She still looks a little troubled, but she seems to be genuinely better. Hopefully Kyle's return - if Jared finds him - will help with that. "Jodi says she's really happy for both of you, especially you, Ian."

"Thanks, Sunny." I give her a warm smile and Ian does the same. Maybe everything will be okay after all. "You should really get some sleep, though. You've had a rough night."

She nods in agreement and stands up. She pulls me in closely, murmuring her thanks and then walks back to her room. I offer to walk her there but she says she's fine. I hope that's true. "Do you want to get something to eat?" Ian asks, lacing his fingers in mine. I nod and the three of us file out of the room, towards the cafeteria.

When we get there, most everybody is already eating. A few people are still gone, probably dealing with the Kyle issue, but everyone else seems to be there. Jeb is talking with Fords alone off to the side, probably about how he's liking the caves. Fords seems to be smiling, but it's hard to tell if it's genuine or not. I hope it is; he would be a great help to Doc here.

Jamie is sitting with Trudy, Andy, Paige, Heath and Lacey. We all grab a tray of food - lukewarm sandwiches and cold soup - before joining their table. "Hey, Wanda," Paige says when I slip in beside her. "Is Sunny alright? Do you know what happened?"

I look quickly at Ian and he shrugs, saying it's okay that I tell them. I guess it's better coming from me than a completely wrecked Sunny. She'd probably start to cry if she talked about it. "Um, Sunny says that Jodi is back."

"What?" Trudy gasps, raising her eyebrows. "Really? That's great!"

"Yes," I agree, smiling slightly.

"But why'd Kyle run off? Isn't this good news?" Paige asks curiously.

"Well," I start, looking to Ian for some help.

"With all the stuff we learned from Fords about the mutations, Sunny isn't exactly eager to be removed yet. We're worried that a second insertion would have a higher chance of triggering an immune response. We don't want to kill people trying to test it out." Everybody's expressions turn grim and I can see the gears shifting in their minds as they try to figure out a solution.

"So, Kyle's mad," Andy assumes.

"Naturally," Mel rolls her eyes. "He thinks that it's selfish of Sunny to not want to die. Jodi agrees that we should wait until it's safe, but Kyle's Kyle. He wasn't thinking and he didn't want to wait."

"Where do you think he went?" Heath says.

"He's gone," someone says from behind. We all turn around to see Jared standing there, covered in dust and looking exhausted. His eyes are dark and he looks like he hasn't slept in days.

"What do you mean, gone?" Mel asks, nervously watching her fiancé.

"The jeep's gone," Jared admits, plopping down beside her. He places his head in his hands and wipes the sweat off of his brow. "I don't know where he's headed or what he's doing, but he's gone. No way of finding him now. We'll just have to wait."

"Oh, God," I mumble. Is he really so stupid as to just leave? That doesn't sound like Kyle.

"No, we can't just wait! He could be captured, he could get killed! We have to find him," Ian protests.

"Where are we going to look? It will be impossible," Lacey says. And it's true. There's no possible way we could find one person in this whole world of Souls. Maybe he couldn't have gone far, but we'd still have to cover a large expanse.

"Wanda and Sunny could look for him?" Andy suggests. That's also true. We would easily be able to walk through stores and such, watching for him, but it'd be a waste of our efforts.

"It'd be hopeless. There's no way."

"We can't just leave him to die!" Ian yells, standing up. As stupid as his brother is sometimes, Ian loves him. He's his best friend and I can see all of the emotions going through him: anger, fear, worry, desperation.

"Ian, it's okay," I whisper. I pull him down and lean in close to him, hoping to try to ease his thoughts. "Kyle's smart. He wouldn't do anything too dangerous. Maybe he just needed some air. He could be driving. Just driving, that's all." Even as I say it, I know that's not true. He's definitely _doing _something. But what, I don't know.

"Yeah," he mumbles. He doesn't believe it either, but he wants to.

"He'll be fine. I know it," I tell him. I lean over and kiss him gently on the cheek, then twine my hand back in his. His face is still twisted with worry, but he doesn't yell anymore.

"So, we just wait?" Jamie finally says after a minute of silence.

"That's all we can do, I guess."

* * *

And we wait. For another two days, we go through our daily routine. I finally convince Ian to let me help in the fields, as I am only barely pregnant, and I work beside him for hours each day. His face is continually grim, but he still has hope. We've let Sunny pass on her chores this week, at least until Kyle gets back. With the weight of a new mind in her head and Kyle gone, it would be too much for her little self to handle.

I check on her frequently, just to make sure she's okay, and she's slowly getting better. She's still terrified for Kyle, but the presence of Jodi seems to be helping her. She's never alone now, which is a good thing. Jodi is keeping her from totally breaking down. I'm very grateful for that.

Jodi is slowly regaining her strength. Sunny says she can now talk much more and is a lot less disoriented. She asks Sunny about the people in the caves - though Sunny's mind knows all of them, they're still foreign to Jodi. She really only knows Kyle and Ian. People who Sunny is very close with like Ian, Mel, Jared, and I are more apparent in her mind, so Jodi recognizes us more easily. But with people like Lucina or Candy, she is completely oblivious to her being. Sunny occupies her time by explaining everything that she's missed. Jodi learns about the relationships, the daily life, the raids, and the latest news on the Souls. Sunny says that Jodi doesn't mind not having her body, that she loves Sunny enough to sacrifice it for now, and that makes me smile. Sunny isn't a good enough liar to have said otherwise.

"When are you going to tell them?" Sunny asks me on the third day as we're eating breakfast in her room. She isn't in the mood to leave, and I don't mind.

"About . . "

"About Mothering," Sunny says, using the Soul term. It's weird to think of it as anything else. Even if Souls reproduce by splitting themselves into multiple Souls, I still feel as if I'm doing my duty as a Mother. It feels right.

"I don't know," I sigh. Sunny, Mel, Fords, and Doc are the only ones that know. Mel wants to tell Jared, but I told her I'd rather she not yet. I'd like to tell them all when I'm comfortable. "With everything going on, I don't want to cause more problems. Ian says that it won't be noticeable that I'm pregnant for at least another month, maybe more. We decided that it's best if we wait till things with you and Jodi are sorted out before we tell anybody."

"Oh, Wanda, I'm sorry," Sunny says, her face contorting with guilt. "You should tell them if you want to!"

"No, Sunny! It's fine. I'd rather wait, actually. I'm not quite comfortable with the idea of telling them quite yet, and I don't mind waiting. Ian's a little anxious, but he'll be fine."

"Okay," she sighs, though I can tell she still feels bad. "Has Healer Fords helped you with anything?"

"Yes. He knows much more about human pregnancies than you would think. Apparently, since they've begun to insert Souls upon birth, he's witnessed many of them. He's been very helpful when it comes to telling me about the . . process."

"That's good!" Sunny says. Fords filled me in on the basics of what a pregnancy is like, along with both Ian and Doc. Since none of them were woman, it was hard for them to explain it completely. We decided that once I announced it to everyone, Lucina would be very helpful. She would be able to explain it all further. "Do you think he'll decide to stay?"

"I don't know," I admit. And it's true. I have no idea whether Fords will stay or not. Jeb said he had to decide by the end of the week, which is tomorrow. "I think it would be nice to have the help in the hospital. People seem to like him. But I don't know how much he likes humans. He's certainly adjusting fast, but it could be a façade."

"I guess," Sunny agrees. Then she settles into a deep thought and I assume she's talking to Jodi. I tell her that I have to go work in the fields and head off.

I find Ian there, already working away. He pulls me close and kisses me gently on the lips and I smile. "You feeling okay? This isn't too much for you, is it?" I ask him, holding him tight. There's so much going on and I can only imagine he feels just as lost as I do, maybe worse.

"No, I'm fine. I'm more concerned about _you_, Wanda," he says, holding both of my hands and leaning in close to me. "You're right. Kyle will be fine, I'm sure. He probably just had to get away. But if he's not back by tomorrow . . ."

"Then we'll go looking for him," I finish.

He nods in agreement and presses his thumb against my cheek. He strokes it softly and I close my eyes. His touch feels so good, it almost makes all of the drama go away. "I'm worried about you," he whispers.

"Why?" I say, though I know exactly why. He says my thoughts aloud:

"Because you're working too hard. You're driving yourself crazy over Sunny. You're thinking about Fords more than yourself. You're more concerned about Mel and Jared's marriage than our relationship-"

"Ian-"

"Wanda, it's true. You haven't even taken that much time to be happy for us. I know it's not your fault, I know you want to care, but everything's always about someone else. And I know you it's hard for you to just think about yourself but sometimes I need you to. I need you to think about me, too, Wanda. I need you to care about us more than anything else, even if it's just for a little bit. I need you to be happy that we're going to have a family, be happy that this is happening. I need you to focus on us. Just us. Can you do that for me, Wanderer?" he says. His voice is so genuine, so pained, that it makes me feel terrible. I've been so consumed with everybody else's problems - as I always am - that I forgot to check on the most important person in my life. Ian.

I've been putting him last on my list, and I feel so overwhelmed by the guilt of it all. He's completely right. I'm forgetting about us, the one thing that matters the most to me. "I'm sorry," I whisper.

"Don't be sorry, Wanda. Just try, please. Because I want to be with you more than anything."

"I want to be with you, too," I tell him. I look into his deep blue eyes before closing mine again. I lean in and kiss him gently, softly, and lovingly before starting a long day of work.


	28. Chapter 27

That night, I head over to the hospital after dinner to check on Fords. Tomorrow is the day he has to decide about whether he is staying or not, and I want to know how he really feels. Not what he _says _he feels to the humans. Hopefully, he'll be able to confide honestly in another Soul.

"Hey, Wanda. How are you today? Any problems?" Doc asks from his desk when I walk into the hospital. He's been very cautious of me lately.

"No, I'm fine," I tell him.

"Good!" he says. "I'm worried that we won't be able to care for you properly here. Luckily, Fords has talked me through the new medical procedures for pregnancies. He'll be able to help much more than I can," Doc laughs.

"So, Fords is staying?" I raise my eyebrows.

"Well, he thinks so. Of course, we have to talk to Jeb. But he seems to be adjusting very quickly here. And he's a huge help. In just this week, I've learned so much more than I have in years!" His excitement, his curiosity for knowledge, is so evident on his face.

I smile at him, happy that Fords has decided. I'd still like to talk to him personally, but he isn't in the hospital. "That's great."

"Yes!" He fiddles with some papers on his desk before pulling out what looks like a grocery list. "On the next raid, I'm going to have Fords pick up a couple of medicines for you that you can start taking. Vitamins and such."

"Wait, Fords is going to pick them up? Why can't I?" I ask, someone angered. They didn't let me raid for a few months when I first got here and now Doc is thinking of letting Fords go in his first _week_? Isn't he the least bit concerned he'll try to return home?

"Wanda, I don't think it's a good idea for you to go on raids right now. Your health is a bigger concern." Doc looks nervous, like he's lying.

"You mean _Ian _doesn't think it's a good idea?" Doc squirms uncomfortably and I know I'm right. "Doc, please. As much as you like Fords, we can't just let him go out so quickly. And Sunny's too fragile right now to raid. I have to do it."

Doc presses the bridge of his nose and squeezes his eyes shut. "Take it up with Ian, Wanda. You know he's stubborn." I glare at him for a moment before sighing. Doc's right. He thinks it's perfectly fine for me to raid. But Ian, on the other hand, has a different perspective.

"Fine. Where's Fords, anyway?" I ask him. That is the reason I came to the hospital after all.

"He's in the cafeteria, I believe," Doc says. I thank him and head that way. The tunnels are nearly deserted and I assume everyone's gathered for dinner.

I've never been so wrong.

Rather than crowding near the dining area, I find the humans huddled near the northern tunnel at the entrance of the caves. There's a lot of shouting and angry voices, along with sounds of relief and excitement. I find Mel standing near the edge, talking to Jamie furiously. "Mel?" I ask, confused. I can't see through the thick group of people or make out any clear words. "What's going on?"

"Oh, Wanda!" Mel says, sighing with relief. Jamie gives me a small smile but Melanie's face is still tense. "Kyle's back!"

"What? That's great!" I exclaim, a smile spreading on my face. Oh, I hope Sunny knows. This will make everything so much easier. I turn my head and pick through the faces and finally find Kyle. He's in the center of the pit, defending himself loudly. Ian is at his side, looking both eased and angered. "Do we know where he went? What was he doing?" I question, still starring at the crowd in an attempt to recognize more faces or phrases.

"He brought back a body, Wanda," she says, her brows furrowed and her eyes tense. I open my mouth to reply, but I don't know what to say. It's both good and bad, Kyle doing this. It means that he really does care about Sunny, that he wants her to stay, to live. It's not all about Jodi for him. But on the other hand, it means he doesn't care about the risks. He knows about the mutations that Fords explained. And he doesn't seem to care. "Wanda?" Mel says, shaking me gently. I ignore her and keep my eyes trained on Kyle. He's managed to get everyone to settle down slightly and it looks as if he's explaining his side of the story. "Wanda, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I mumble before walking straight into the crowd. I push past everybody furiously, charged with anger and reach the center. I yank Kyle by the arm and pull him right in front of me, so that I can look him right in the eyes. "Are you stupid, Kyle? What kind of idiot scares a whole cave full of people to death because you're angry that a girl isn't willing to _sacrifice her life _for you? Especially after you treat her so poorly?"

Kyle's taken aback and he stares at me for a moment. Ian, beside him, is wide-eyed in surprise. I swear I see a hint of a smile on his lips though, and I continue. "Sunny is one of the kindest people I've ever met! All she's done is try to help you from the day she arrived. She _willingly _left her family and everything that she knew behind so that she could help you get Jodi back. And now that she's back, now that the only girl you apparently care about is still alive, you just throw her aside like a piece of trash? After all of that? Really, Kyle. I thought you were better than that," I yell. I've never felt so much anger, so much disgust. How could he do this? Just lead Sunny on all these months. Let her believe that he loves her, too, and not just Jodi. But no. He was using her, and for that he is cruel.

"Wanda, I-"

"Shut up," I scream. Everybody drops silent and I can tell that Kyle and Ian aren't the only ones surprised. I've never yelled in my life at someone, let alone behaved this harshly. I feel the anger boiling inside of me, my body turning hot and steam fuming within me. Is this what it feels like to be human? To have such uncontrollable, yet thrilling, emotions?

Somebody laughs from behind and I whirl around to see Melanie holding a hand over her mouth, her eyes wide. "What?" I sigh, not in the mood.

"Wanda," Ian breathes, answering for her. "You just got angry."

I clench my teeth and scan my eyes across the crowd. Everybody is looking at me in disbelief and amusement. Mel's let her laughter loose and Ian's joined her. Even Kyle, though I just exploded in his face, is cracking a small smile. "It's not that funny," I defend. "Stop laughing! This is serious!"

"Wanda," Kyle sighs, placing a large, calloused hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry that I treated Sunny that way. I know it was wrong and you have every right to be angry with me. Hell, I'm glad you actually got angry for once. It was pretty amusing." Another round of laughter. I just continue to glare at him. "Wanda, I know I acted that way. I was stupid, idiotic, didn't think, you name it. I just . . . I wanted to fix everything so badly. I love Sunny, you know I do. Just in a different way then with Jodi. More like a sister. And I wanted to make sure that she safe, too. And soon. I wanted both of them back so badly that I didn't think and just took off. I said all those things to Sunny because I wasn't thinking about her; only Jodi. And I really regret that. I was a terrible person to her."

He stops to run a hand through his hair and closes his eyes, concentrating hard. "And I just had to get a body to try to get them both. I know what Fords is saying about the mutations, I get it. But I would never let something happen to her. I trust Doc to keep her safe. If he thinks that inserting her into the new body is a bad idea, then we won't do it. But I need to try, Wanda. Do you understand me?"

I swallow hard and nod. I never thought of the situation from his perspective, and for that I feel guilty. He was only trying to do what he thought was right, even if it was in his own, imbecilic way. "Just please talk to Sunny," I whisper.

"I will. And thanks, Wanda, for looking out for her," he smiles. He turns to leave and the crowd disperses. Ian and I are the only ones left and I feel his arms wrap around me from behind. The smile is still on his face, but I can tell it's also laced with tension.

"You okay?" he asks, stroking my arms gently.

"I'm fine. I just hope Sunny is."

"She will be," Ian says. He leans in and kisses me softly on the forehead. When he pulls away, I place my head against his chest and let him rock me. "Who knew you were such a yeller?" he laughs.

I nudge him in the side but I'm smiling. "It's a one time thing, okay? Don't get used to it," I reply. I make a silent promise to not get mad again, at least not like that. That was inacceptable on my scale.

"Really? I think it'd be fun if you got a little bit angry . . . specifically at night time," he smiles mischievously I blush furiously and tilt my head away so he can't see.

"Well, maybe, just for you, I'll get a little angry," I reply, now facing him again. The idea fills me with warmth and I'm instantly anxious to be alone with him in our room.

"I look forward to it," he smirks. Then, he laces his hand in mine and we start to walk back to our rooms. My mind races with all that just happened. I wonder if Sunny's okay and if Jodi's still there. I want to see the host Kyle picked out, but I'm also too worried to think about it. They'll probably try to do the surgery tomorrow, maybe the next day at the latest. I'm nervous for Sunny, but - like Kyle said - I trust Doc. And Healer Fords. Now that we know he's staying, I'm sure he'll be of great assistance in protecting Sunny.

"So, what now?" I ask Ian when we reach our door. What's the next step right now? It's hard to sort through everything.

"Now we see what happens with Sunny. We make sure she's okay. We'll figure out the situation with Fords. Maybe raid sometime soon," he pulls me by the hand and sets me gently on the bed. I rest against his chest as he continues to talk. "We'll figure it all out, Wanda. I know we will. It will all be okay."

"Okay," I repeat, nodding against him.

"Oh, and one more thing," Ian says, tilting my head so that I'm facing him. I raise my eyebrows, expecting him to finish. He smiles lightly and his eyes shine a brilliant blue. He's putting on his pleading face, and I worry I know what he's about to say. "We need to tell people soon, Wanda."

I look down at my stomach and nod stiffly. I wasn't looking forward to sharing the news.

* * *

**Okay so sorry this took so long to post. I wrote it two days ago, but fanfiction logged my out in the middle of it so it all got deleted. THEN when I was typing it again, I accidentally hit the quit button (and it deleted half of it). So sorry for the wait! But I hope this was a decent enough chapter? Let me know what you think of the plot so far! **


	29. Chapter 28

The next morning, Jeb announces that Fords will be staying. Everybody, except for the usually sour few like Sharon and Maggie, is overjoyed by this. They all know that though Doc is very good at what he does, Healer Fords will be even better.

Kyle and Sunny aren't at breakfast when I get there. I ask Ian where the are, but he assumes they're just sleeping in late. I shrug it off till later and grab myself a plate of eggs.

"Woah, Wanda! You sure are hungry," Jamie laughs when I sit down, taking a look at my plate. I hadn't realized I'd taken so much and I feel guilty. Others need to eat, too. "That's almost as much as I eat."

"I-" I start, but realize I don't know how to finish it. I never have been a big eater and Jamie knows that. If I keep letting these types of things slide, people will find out about my pregnancy the wrong way. And I definitely don't want that to happen with Jamie. "I didn't eat much yesterday. And you know what Jeb says: it's important to stay healthy down here. With all the labor and everything," I lie terribly. I mentally slap myself for the bad act.

"Really?" he laughs, shaking his head. Jamie's especially good at seeing through my lies.

"Yeah," I just shrug. Ian's been too busy talking to Brandt to notice Jamie's suspicion, so I don't bother him. I just continue to eat the lukewarm eggs while everybody talks.

"You think now is the best time?" Geoffrey says from the other end of the table. "I don't know, Jared."

"Come on! We need one. Food and supplies are running low, and Doc said he could use some more meds," Jared defends. I quickly realize they're discussing another raid. I realize the medicines Jared's talking about must be for me and I turn my attention to their conversation.

"But what about Sunny, Jared?" Mel reminds him. "We can't just leave now. Not without Kyle."

"Why not?" Jared replies. Kyle's one of our best raiders; without him, we could be in some serious trouble.

"Are you seriously considering going on a major raid without him? Jared, think rationally. And we can't bring Wanda, now can we?" Mel adds.

My eyes widen and I shoot a glance at Mel. She forgot.

"Wanda, you're up for a raid, aren't you?" Jared asks, turning to me. Ian seems to realize what's going on and his eyes bulge out. There's no way he's letting me raid. Not for another 9 months.

"Um, of course. But I agree with Mel. We need to wait till Kyle and Sunny sort things out," I say. Ian relaxes at my answer, but he still seems tense.

"We can handle this on our own. I'm sure of it. Let them figure things out while we're gone," Jared suggests.

"I think Wanda needs to stay here, with Sunny," Mel says, taking Ian's side immediately. Though they don't agree on a lot, they both make it their priority to protect me. "Jared, just drop it. We'll raid in a week or two. We still have some time before the rations go out."

Jared opens his mouth again, ready to defend his case once more, but finally drops it. He's surrendered to Melanie.

Slowly, mini conversations start up again, the topic of a raid out of the way for now. I finish up my plate, making Jamie laugh, and head off towards Sunny's room, Ian at my side. "Do you think he apologized to her?"

"Yeah. Kyle's an ass, but he cares about Sunny. And Jodi. He wouldn't treat either of them that way for long. Especially after what you said to him," Ian smirks, nudging me in the side. He still hasn't forgotten about my little anger spurt.

"I hope so," I say. We reach their door and Ian knocks loudly on it. I hear a few loud footsteps before Kyle pushes the fake door aside with little effort. "Hi, Kyle."

"What's going on?" he asks as if nothing's wrong. Same old Kyle.

"We just wanted to see how things are doing with Sunny and Jodi. What exactly the situation is," Ian explains for his brother.

"Wanda?" a small voice says from inside the room. Kyle moves aside to reveal Sunny standing there, looking as happy as ever. She's so much calmer and her eyes are dry of any tears. Kyle instantly wraps his arm around here. "I'm going to do it," she says.

I exchange a glance with Ian. He seems worried; his brow furrowed carefully, his jaw tight, his body tense. "Are you sure, Sunny? You don't have to do anything you don't want to do, right, Kyle?" I say purposefully.

"Uh, yeah," he stutters, caught off-guard. "I mean, I'd love to get Jodes back, but if you - if you aren't sure yet, then we can wait." He struggles with the words, obviously trying hard to please both Ian and I, but at least he says them. Sunny laughs at his effort.

"It's okay. We talked about it a lot last night and we decided it was for the best. If . . If this host reacts badly, we can always try again, right?"

I'm not so sure about that, but I just nod. "Right."

"Okay, well I'm ready!" she says, breathing in deeply, preparing herself. Insertion is not the most relaxing process. She's going to go through a lot within the next few days. I raise my eyebrows at her, just to check, and she just smiles back at me. Whatever Kyle said to her must have worked. She isn't even worried.

I still am - actually, terrified - but I don't say so. We need to sort this out one way or another, and taking Sunny out seems like our best bet right now. The four of us walk down to the hospital, nobody talking. Kyle squeezes Sunny's hand for support, but she doesn't seem nervous. I wonder if Jodi's talking to her, calming her the way Mel sometimes did with me.

"You okay?" Ian whispers beside me. He can sense that I'm still not on board with this idea. I nod stiffly. "It will be fine, Wanda. Doc won't let anything happen to Sunny, okay?" Another tense nod. I just keep walking, trying not to think about all the horrible possibilites, all the dreadful outcomes that this could bring about.

"Hey, Doc," Kyle says when we reach the hospital. "We're ready."

Doc scans his eyes over us, searching for our thoughts on this. His face matches mine and I can tell he's equally worried. Fords, who was standing over by one of the cots, notices us and walks over. "Okay," Doc says simply. He leads Sunny over to an empty cot. The one beside it is occupied by the body Kyle brought back. I haven't had a chance to look at her until now, and she's stunning. She has soft blonde hair that stops right at her shoulders in small ringlets. Her face is dotted with freckles and her skin is tan and smooth. Her frame is about the same as Jodi's - short and petite, but in a nice way. She looks a lot younger, maybe 16, 17 at the most, but Sunny doesn't seem to mind. It's not like age matters here in the caves. The girl seems like a good match for Sunny and I wonder where Kyle found her.

Sunny lays down on the cold cot and I finally start to see some fear in her eyes. She doesn't want to do this; I can tell. But she's doing it for Kyle; because she loves him. Just like I thought I was doing for Jared and Mel. That turned out fine, so maybe this will too.

"Fords, will you hand me that?" Doc asks, pointing to a canister of SLEEP across the room. Fords fetches it for him and Doc holds it above Sunny. "It will all be okay, Sunny. Don't worry."

Her eyes start to water, the terror building up inside of her now, and I ache to pull her off of the bed, to make it okay for her. But instead I just smile down at her and put on a brave face. Kyle and Ian all do the same and her nerves seem to wash away slightly. "I'll see you later," she says, smiling halfheartedly. Doc sprays the can and her eyes slide closed.

Doc and Fords work fast, both experts at this by now. Fords especially. He's incredible with Sunny, handling her so well once Doc helps pull her out. She's beautiful, shimmering in his palm like a silver dandelion. I catch Kyle smiling at her and I grin to myself. Some part of him really loves her, too, even if he doesn't know it.

Ian squeezes my waist as they finish working on Jodi and move over to the new body. He can sense my tension. His touch relaxes me, though, and I feel much more at ease.

As they insert Sunny into the girl, Kyle kneels beside Jodi and anxiously waits. I want to tell him it will take a few hours at the least, but it's not like he'd listen anyway. Then again, neither did Ian when I went into Pet's body - at least that's what he told me after.

"The body seems to be reacting fine. But we should keep her asleep for a while longer," Fords notes a few minutes after they've closed up the wound. He has some sort of device in his hands that I've only seen Doc use once on Lily when she had some sort of flu.

"So you think she'll be fine?" Doc asks, taking a look at the device in his hands. He raises his eyebrows at whatever the screen reads and nods.

"Yes. We'll keep her unconscious and check up on her periodically. If there's no problems within the next few hours, she should be good. The mutations we've encountered have occurred almost immediately. If anything goes wrong, it will happen within the afternoon."

"Thank god," Kyle sighs. He didn't seem too nervous about the whole insertion earlier, but now he seems to be shaking with anxiety. He has to wait for both Sunny _and _Jodi now. It must be excruciating.

"Will you come get us if anything happens?" Ian asks Doc. Doc nods and returns back to examining her body.

"I want to stay, Ian," I protest.

"Wanda, we have something of our own to take care of," he says pointedly. I remember our conversation last night and I look away. "Come on. Let's get it out of the way." Kyle looks up at us, confused, but doesn't seem to care that much. He just shrugs and turns his attention back to Jodi. He strokes her cheeks, her hair. Squeezes her hands tight in his.

"Wanda, come on," Ian says again. I snap my attention back to him and sigh. I might as well get this over with.

He slips his hand around my waist and we walk down the hall to where everybody is still eating. We arrived at breakfast pretty early, and left after only a few minutes. Even Jamie - who was practically the first one up - is still sitting at a table, laughing with Mel. "Hey, guys?" Ian says, trying to gather their attention. Though he wanted to announce this, he now seems just as nervous as I am. His voice is shaky and I can feel his confidence slipping. "We have something to tell you."

Geoffrey and Heath stop eating. Lily and Trudy stop washing the dishes for a moment. Jared and Mel break apart and turn to us, Mel with a sly, knowing smile on his face. Jamie's face is excited and I can tell he's looking for good news. Maybe he's already figured it out.

The room slowly quiets and then everybody's attention is on us. Kind eyes and worried eyes, scared faces and happy ones. Everybody expects something different from our announcement. "Um, first, we'd like to let you know that Doc just removed Sunny from Jodi." A collective reaction of worry, but Ian holds his hands out. "Don't worry. There's no problems so far and even Fords thinks everything should be okay. Jodi should be up later today, but give her some space, please." I nod with this, trying to convince myself that Sunny will be okay. She will, she will, she will.

"That's great!" somebody says.

"Yeah, it is," I smile.

"We also have something else to share," Ian says and I close my eyes, bracing myself. I can't wait for him to just say it already, to get it over with. I don't want to face all of the different reactions. I'm not ready. "I . . ." Ian starts, but then shakes his head. "We're . . . no. Oh, god. Um, Wanda is . . "

"Pregnant," I finish, unable to stand the delay. It's now or never. "I'm pregnant."

* * *

**AHHH! So much going on in this chapter! Anyways, school just ended today so I should have chapters up more frequently now. Do you think Sunny is _really _okay? Or will problems arise. And how will everybody react to the news? Good or bad? Let me know what you think! **


	30. Chapter 29

****Mel's POV****

"Wanda! Let me in!" I call from outside of Ian's room. A sob in reply. "Please, Wanda! It's alright. Nobody's mad at you," I plead. But I'm lying. _Everyone _is mad at her.

The news wasn't taken very well. The caves erupted in screaming and cursing, yelling and bickering. Even the people who are so close to Wanda, like Trudy and Jeb, seemed a little angered by her pregnancy. Wanda ran away crying almost immediately, though Ian was too busy arguing with Sharon too catch her.

"Wanderer, honey. Please," Ian said from behind me, pressing his face against the makeshift door. Wanda must have moved something infront of it to block it, maybe a chair, since even Ian couldn't lift it aside. Or she was holding it down with something. Either way, we weren't getting in anytime soon without her compliance.

She says nothing.

"Why don't you just leave her alone?" Lily says from off to the side. "Maybe she just needs some time to think."

"No," I say firmly. "She's going to bury herself in guilt if she's alone. We _have _to get in there!"

Ian tries to move the door one more time, pulling furiously at it, but he fails to move it even an inch. It's no use. "It's all their faults!" Ian sneered, pointing to the group of people still huddled around, talking angrily amongst themselves. "If they hadn't started yelling at her, she'd be fine. It should've been fine . . "

"Ian," I sigh, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You knew this would happen. I mean, maybe not with this many people, but you knew there'd be _some _sort of negative reaction, right?" He doesn't answer and I know I'm right. "But _she _didn't. She never expects these kinds of things. You may have prepared yourself for that cruelty, but she didn't. You have to remember that. Even though Wanda knows about how humans can be agressive, she still doesn't _assume _that's how we'll react. She still sees the good in everybody."

"So you're saying I should've prepared her? Told her they would be angry?" he almost laughs.

I shake my head, roll my eyes. "No, not exactly. But you should have made sure she was ready emotionally for this. Made sure that she could handle it. And I don't think she was ready . . . at all." I look over at him and can see the words slowly sinking in, the regret settling. He curses and hits himself in the head, then keeps his hand pressed to his forehead.

"God, you're right. I was so stupid! I forced her into saying this. She didn't want to, but I made her," he condemns. "I'm such an idiot!" He raises his fist and punches the wall. Hard. He instantly grabs his hand, a pained look on his face, and tries to shake it out.

"Ian, calm down!" I tell him. He doesn't listen but just keeps talking on about how this is his fault, how he was so stupid. "Ian, stop!" He finally seems to register my voice and stops yelling at himself. He sinks to the ground, leaning his head against the wall. "Lily, will you make sure he's okay?" She nods and kneels down beside him, talking in a sweet voice.

I charge over to where everyone's standing, all making nasty comments in low voices. Nearly everyone's there except for Lucina, her kids, and Jamie, who I told to wait in his room for me. "Why the fuck did you do that?"

"Do _what?" _Maggie laughs, playing dumb.

"Treat Wanda like that! What's so bad about her being pregnant? You should be happy for her and Ian!" I say. Fire runs through my veins, I'm so furious.

"Happy for her? Mel, we live in a_ cave! _In the middle of a _war! _It's not exactly the time to start a family," Andy sneers. I want to smack him.

"Really? So what about Lucina are her children? How is that any different?" I reply. I don't have anything against Lucina, and I hate to use her as defense, but it's true. Lucina was in the caves when she had Freedom; it's just a fact.

Nobody responds for a moment and I know that they're all thinking the same thing. "Melanie-" Paige starts, but I cut her off.

"Is it seriously because she's a Soul? How many times have we gone over this?!" I cry, so angered. For almost two years they have all known Wanda for the wonderful, kind person she is. They accepted her before, but now all of the sudden, they're using her species against her? It wasn't fair.

Heidi sighs. "Mel, it's different with this. We . . we all love Wanda, we do. But having a child here is already an issue. But when the child's not fully human . . ."

"Wait - how do you figure the baby isn't human? That doesn't even make sense!" I retort.

"A Soul and a human - it's never happened before. We don't know what could happen with a child. What if it's one of them? We love Wanda, but that doesn't mean we're going to just let her are another Soul! Our job is to increase the human population, not theirs," Aaron argues.

"It's not going to be a Soul, okay? Wanda's in a human body, so the baby will be human," Jared yells, walking up from behind me and almost scaring me. He'd been talking with Jeb off to the side, but I guess he came over here to help me. "Besides, if it was a Soul, it'd still be on our side. It's not like it'd grow up and turn all of us in."

I elbow him for that last part - it was unnecessary - but I'm glad that he's here. I need more support. Hopefully he's won over Jeb, who was only concerned because of the supplies aspect. It's hard enough raiding for over 30 people, but factor a baby into that . .

Jeb was worried, but by the looks of it, Jared seemed to have talked him through it. I'm grateful for that. "Listen, please," I say. "Wanda's been with us for a long time now. She's helped us in ways that we can never repay her for. Hell, if it wasn't for her, half of us might be dead by now from diseases or raiding or whatever. She saved us _all. _And how do we treat her in return? Make her scared to death when she tells us she's trying to start a family? To be happy? To try to continue to live despite the world outside?

"It probably tears her apart every, single day that we're fighting against her own species. She hates it so much; she blames herself all the time. But Ian's been there to help her through so much of that and she's actually _happy!_ He's made her happy and they're just trying to be happy together. Is that so wrong? To want one, little spark of happiness when you're overwhelmed by all that guilt?"

I'm out of breath and tears are running down my face. I love Wanda so, so much, it pains me when she's hurting. And to have all these people who I thought loved her turn on her . . . it makes me so angry. "So, please, _please, _just try to be supportive of this. Let Wanda be happy about this, okay? She gives us so much - her whole life, really. We should at least be able to give her this."

Nobody talks for a moment and I can tell I've made some sort of impact. Whether good or bad, I don't know. But at least they're thinking about it. Jared squeezes me from behind and kisses the top of my head; he's been so supportive ever since finding out. Shocked, yes, but always on board. He's not even jealous of them at all, which definitely surprises me.

"I agree," somebody says. I look up and I worry my eyes aren't working right; the person speaking doesn't match the face I would presume would be. No. This is someone who would usually be last on the list to vote for Wanda.

Aunt Maggie.

"Wh-what?" I stutter.

"I agree with you, Melanie," she says, almost timidly. "I may not like the Souls in the slightest bit, and I may have treated Wanda wrong in the past, but that doesn't mean she deserves to be treated this way. This is hard to say, but she's helped us. A lot. And I'd be lying if I said I wasn't grateful for it. Mel's right: Wanda has helped to keep us all alive. Half of us would be dead if it wasn't for her." Maggie's struggling to talk, this is so hard for her to admit. She's resented Wanda for so long but she's now finally giving in to the kind Soul that she is. She's seeing the Wanda that I've seen all along. "We can try to repay her by giving her this; a family."

The next thing I know my arms around her and I'm crying into her shoulder. "Oh, Aunt Maggie! Thank you," I whisper, holding her tight. I haven't let myself love her since Wanda came here. She's been too cruel. But now I finally have my aunt back, and it makes me so happy to see her like this. "Thank you."

She squeezes me back, also seeming relieved by our reunion as family. "I'm sorry, Mel. I've been a horrible person. But I'll try to be better." I nod against her and smile.

"She's right," Paige says.

"Yeah . . . I'm sorry," Brandt adds.

And then everybody's agreeing, apologizing, deciding that Wanda deserves this. Then we're all laughing together, finally excited about the news. I mean, the idea of having a cute, little baby around the caves makes you smile. Even Sharon, though she didn't make a gesture quite as grand as Maggie's, seems to be okay with this.

Eventually, Ian comes over to me and hugs me. He kisses me on the cheek and thanks me for saying what I did. "Of course. Wanda's my sister and you're . . well, you're family, too," I laugh. "I'm always on your side."

"I'm really glad to have you," he smiles. His eyes, so blue, look filled with excitement and happiness. They even get brighter the next second, when we all turn to hear a small voice: "Ian?"

He sighs in relief and nearly charges over to the door, where Wanda's peaking her head out shyly. Her eyes are red and her cheeks are splotchy. Throughout all of the chaos, we all forgot that Wanda was still locked in her room, crying. But now she's smiling wide in Ian's arms as he tells her about everybody agreeing that the baby is a good thing. "Oh, Ian, I'm sorry," she apologizes. "I shouldn't have left you to deal with this all alone . . I just got so scared. Everybody was yelling-"

"And we're sorry for it," Maggie says, surprising me yet again. "We're all very happy for you, Wanda. Both of you." She winks at Ian and I smile to myself.

"Thank you," she whispers, her cheeks glowing red. I'm about to go up and hug her when a loud voice booms from the entrance to the tunnel. "Hey, Wanda!" I squint my eyebrows and make out two figures quickly approaching, almost running. Kyle and Sunny? No.

Oh, no.

Kyle and _Jodi. _They're running towards us fast, Jodi looking slightly disoriented, but alive nonetheless It's weird looking at her without silver eyes. She looks so familiar yet so very different. But they're not smiling. No, they're running with almost panicked looks on their faces. Jodi looks horrified and I can make out the shimmer of tears on her face. And Kyle looks like he's just plain old angry, like he could punch someone right this second.

"What? What is it?" Wanda asks, but she already knows. Her face, which was filled with joy just a second ago, now sinks with dread.

"It's Sunny," Kyle breathes, his voice cracking. "There's something wrong. Doc needs you. _Now."_


	31. Chapter 30

**I really hope this chapter isn't like a bad, medical drama...we'll see. i also have NO IDEA about any medical terminology and such so i hope this kinda makes sense?**

* * *

**WANDA POV**

"Oh, God, oh, no," I cry as I kneel beside Sunny's cot. She's laying lifelessly atop it, her head tilted to the side, exposing the cut from her insertion. It's still fresh from earlier this morning, despite the Heal Doc applied to it. "Doc, what's going on?" I ask nervously, holding on of her hands in mine. Ian comes and places a hand supportively on my shoulder.

As soon as Kyle came barging down the hall with the news of a problem, Mel, Jared, Jamie, Ian, and I all raced to the hospital. Jodi, even though she just woke up, came along with us, Kyle practically carrying her. He wants so desperately to feel happy about having his Jodi back, but I can see the panic in his eyes. He's just as worried about Sunny as he is excited about Jodi.

Doc comes and pressed a device to Sunny's heart, which is luckily still beating. "I'm not entirely sure. Her body's shutting down, though. Some or her organs have stopped functioning," he explains, holding up another mechanism and pressing it against her chest. Fords is working on Sunny, fast. He inserts an IV into her arm and then grabs a scalpel. He makes a move for her neck, thank God. Even if they can't save the human, they can save Sunny.

"Cyrotank!" Doc calls and Jared dashes over to grab an empty one. Healer Fords works so quickly, it is unbelievable. But he doesn't pull Sunny out when he should've. He just holds his hands in the air over her neck, waiting for something.

"Take her out, now!" Kyle yells, getting angry, and walking over to the cot. Jodi hangs onto his arm, her eyes red and worried. I can tell just by looking at her that she cares for Sunny as Mel cares for me. She's so worried, so scared.

"I - I can't," Healer mumbles, leaning in to get a better look at her neck. I can see the faint silver glow escaping it, mixed in with the red of her blood.

"Why not?" Doc says, getting nervous. I place a hand over my mouth, bracing myself, and Ian squeezes me tight.

"I don't know how to explain it... She's _connected _to the body," Healer explains.

"Well, of course she's connected! That's what Souls _do! _Unconnect her!" Mel practically shrieked.

Healer Fords looks up at us gravely, his head shaking slightly and his mouth in a firm line. "No. She's not just connected to the human's nerves, but she's almost . . . molded to them. The body has somehow locked her in. It must be part of the self-defense immunization system. If we try to take her out, we'll only injure her."

"No," I gasp, struggling to breathe. I never should have let Sunny do this. She wasn't ready. I was foolish to trust that everything would be okay. Why couldn't Kyle have been more selfless?

"GET HER OUT!" Kyle roars, making me shudder. He's practically on top of Fords and I can see the desperation in his eyes. He loves Sunny, one way or another. And he knows he made a mistake; he knows this is his fault, too.

"Kyle," Jodi whispers, placing a hand gently on his shoulder. Her voice is just like Sunny's, but its not. It's Jodi's. It always has been. She tugs him back from Fords and pulls him away from the cot. She knows that he's angry and concerned - we all are - but she's anchoring him. We have to stay calm if we're going to save her.

"Doc, what do we do?" I say, standing up and taking a look for myself. Fords is right. Her nerves aren't simply connected, but almost _embedded _into the human.

Doc opens his mouth, unsure. He takes a look at Sunny again, clicks some buttons on a machine, and finally turns away. He's lost. My heart sinks as I realize he has no clue what to do. And neither does Fords. We have to figure this out ourselves.

After a few moments, he faces us again. His face looks more hopeful and I realize he must have thought of something. "Okay, so her body is shutting itself down, right? Her kidneys, her stomach, those sorts or things aren't functioning anymore. Her lungs and heart are still going, but I don't think that will be the case for long. And the body's molded itself to Sunny so that she can't get out. Why? What is it trying to do . . ." He's thinking aloud, trying to solve this. It's like a show I remember from Emily - House. The Doctor would compile all of the symptoms together and _then _figure out what exactly happened. Doc is doing the same think, trying to deduce what the human's body is attempting to do here.

"Well her immune system must have identified Sunny as a 'disease.' So it's first step must have been sort of trapping her in there, making sure she doesn't escape before it has a chance to kill her," Fords says grimly. I shudder and squeeze her hand tighter. "And if it's shutting down its systems, it must just be trying to kill itself. And Sunny . . . so how do we stop that? That's what we need to figure out."

"What if we introduced the body to another 'virus,' so to speak?" Doc suggested.

"What do you mean? Another Soul?" I ask, confused. Then, we'd only be killing another Soul, not saving Sunny.

Doc takes a deep breath and I can tell he doesn't want to say this, but it's the only way. "Wanda, when a human encounters a disease of sorts, its immune system will usually attack the newer bacteria, so to speak. In this case, if we were to insert another Soul in - not attach it obviously, but just put it into the body - her immune system would recognize it as another virus. It's already worked on Sunny, so it would probably assume that it's more important to go for the newest threat - the other Soul."

"What are you trying to say, Doc?" Ian asks. He is obviously offended by the idea. I am, too. There's no way I'm letting another Soul just die. But if it means saving Sunny . . . do we have a choice?

"I'm saying that, well, if we were to insert a Soul right now, the body would most likely 'detach' itself from Sunny in order to trap the other Soul inside and kill it. If my prediction is right, then-"

"Then we could get Sunny out before the body self-destructs," Fords finishes, catching on. "That's it! It's similar to the other cases, too. The bodies all targeted the Soul somehow - not exactly trapping it in, but trying to keep it there somehow. In one case, the body made the neck swell so much that it was impossible to cut through the skin. It was horrible. This is it, though! The human bodies are trying to keep the Souls locked inside so that they die!" Fords is nearly ecstatic upon the discovery. You can see the joy of fulfilling the mystery written clearly on his face. He seems to have forgotten the situation at the moment, he's so overcome by excitement.

People seem to relax at this news, all believing in the theory. Kyle looks calm again and Jodi's even giving a slight smile. Doc is checking Sunny over again, but he's not rushing. Mel and Jared are whispering worriedly, but they don't look as tense. But I am still worried. There is one important question nobody's answered yet:

"What Soul are we going to use?"

Nobody answers. Faces go dark again and I can tell they hadn't thought about it. I look over to Doc and he just nods over to the side, where there's a row of occupied cyrotanks, glowing brightly. We've removed a lot of humans over the past few months, and we haven't dropped the tanks off yet. We could use any one of them. "Wanda, I know that it wouldn't be right . . just sacrificing a Soul to save Sunny . . . but it's the only way."

Everybody looks at me and I can feel their inner contemplation. Jodi looks sick at the thought of killing a random Soul, but she seems content on saving Sunny. Kyle doesn't even seem nerved by the idea, he's ready to insert one. Jared and Mel look conflicted. Ian looks like he's worried about me. Doc and Fords are ready to move. "I . . there's no other way. We have to save Sunny."

Relief floods over everybody and Kyle snatches a cyrotank off of the shelf. He tosses it to Doc and they get to work. "Wait!" I say. Ian looks at me like he knows what I'm about to say. Doc stops, a scalpel in his hands, ready to save Sunny. "One condition." They look at me, urging me to go on. "After you save Sunny . . . you have to try your best to save the Soul, okay? Do whatever you can. If you don't . . . I'll understand. But you have to try. Please." If they promise me they'll try than I can go through with this. I hate it, but I'll do it. For Sunny.

"We'll do whatever we can, Wanda," Doc says. Healer Fords nods in agreement and I shake my head hazily. They return to work and I tug on Ian's shoulder. "I - - I don't want to watch this, Ian. Can we go back to the room?"

He kisses me gently on the head. "Of course," I lean into him, glad that he's here. I can't stay and watch as a Soul is sacrificed, put to his death for no reason. "Just give me one second." He walks over to where Kyle and Jodi are standing, now holding each other tightly. Kyle looks like he's reassuring her, telling her Sunny is going to be okay. She still looks like a wreck, but slightly better.

Ian walks over and he says something to Jodi, smiling at her and then hugging her. He kisses her gently on the cheek and then tells her something. She nods enthusiastically - they probably planned to catch up later. Then he tells Kyle something, and I catch, "Come get us." Good. They'll let us know what happens with Sunny.

Ian talks to them for a while and I walk over to Sunny to say goodbye for now. "I'm sorry I can't stay here with you. I want to . . but I'm scared right now. I'm sorry, Sunny. I should have looked out for you better. I love you. You'll be okay now. Doc is going to take care of you, okay?" I realize I'm crying slightly and Ian comes over and cups me in his arms. I don't object, but just let him carry me out of the hospital. I bury my head into his chest and try not to cry anymore. Sunny will be fine. Doc figured it all out. It will be okay.

"Shhh," Ian says as he lays me down on the bed and wraps covers around me. He strips off his shirt and climbs into bed beside me, then starts stroking my back. He whispers reassuring words and before I know it, I'm falling asleep, vague dreams of a happy family floating in my head.

* * *

**That was probably bad. I didn't know what to exactly say for the medical complication . . . I hope it made sense. Let me know**


	32. Chapter 31

"Wanda? Honey, wake up." I moan and tilt my head to the side, stretching my arms out. My mouth opens in a yawn and my eyes water. I open them and find Ian sitting on the ground in front of me, smiling at me. He looks wide awake and I worry he's been up for a long time. The light tells me it's at least noon, maybe later. How long have I been asleep? "Hey, there. Good news!" Ian smiles as I wake up.

"Hmm?" I wonder. Then I remember everything that went on last night. Sunny. The insertion. The body self-destructing. And Doc trying to save her. "Oh, god, is she okay?"

Ian smiles and takes my hand, relieving me. "She's fine, Wanda. Kyle and Jodi left first thing this morning to pick out another body." I open my mouth to question this, but he seems to have read my mind. "Don't worry. Fords thinks he figured out a way to prevent the immune system from fighting back. Sunny will be fine this time." I wonder what Fords figured out and how, but my happiness overrides my curiosity.

"What about the other Soul? The one that they put into her body?" I remember how torn I was over sacrificing that life for Sunny's. An innocent Soul sent to its death because of our selfish attachment to Sunny.

Ian's face is grim and I realize the Soul died. A tear falls down my cheek. Ian immediately notices and wipes it away, cupping my face. "Hey, it's okay. Don't cry. They almost saved it. Doc, he tried really hard. But it was just not possible." Ian gives me a sad smile and I look away. If I don't change the subject I'll start feeling guilty.

"Have you been up all morning? How late did I sleep?" I say, my throat still hoarse and my voice groggy.

"Yeah, I went down to the hospital pretty early. I got worried," Ian says, shrugging. "But once I knew that everything was okay, I figured I should let you sleep in. You needed it."

"But wh-"

"Don't even try to tell me I shouldn't have," Ian laughs, shaking his head. I wanted to tell him that there's work to be done, that I wasted the morning. But he's already ahead of me. "You've been going nuts the past few days. You deserved some sleep." He stands up and walks over to the small table we have in the room. He pulls a plate off of it and walks back over to me. I see that the plate is stacked with toast and eggs, even a little bit of fruit. "I saved you this from breakfast."

"I'm really fine," I say, pushing myself up on my elbows. My stomach growls in objection.

"Wanda, you need to eat something. Especially now," he sighs, raising his eyebrows. I look down at my stomach and bite my lip. I guess I do have to be more careful about eating now. I don't want anything to happen to the baby.

"Fine," I agree, taking the plate from him. I practically scarf down the eggs and toast, and then suck on the berries last. The flavor lingers in my mouth and it tastes so sweet. Ian shuffles through the clothes while I eat and pulls out a tee shirt and pair of shorts. When I finish, I change into them and comb my hair. Ian takes my hand in his and we walk down the hall together, towards the fields.

"When do you think they'll be back?" I ask him of Jodi and Kyle.

"Not till late tonight. They planned on stopping to pick up some medicine for you, too."

"What?" I almost scream. "That's not safe! They can't just walk into a hospital to get them, Ian!"

"Don't worry; Fords went with them," Ian says. "I guess I forgot to mention that."

My eyes jump out of their sockets and I stop in place. How could they let Fords, after just a week in the caves, go out on a raid? Back to a _hospital? _Though I trust him, I'm not sure I trust him enough to go back to the place where he belongs, working with Souls as a Healer. "Are you crazy? What if he tries to escape?"

Ian almost laughs at my expression and I glare at him. "Wanda, calm down. Fords has proven that he is loyal to us. He wouldn't have helped us with Sunny if he wanted to go back. Trust me," Ian assures. I don't know if I do right now, but I want to. Fords is a kind man. He wouldn't escape. But still, the idea scares me.

I don't say anything, but just follow him down the fields. We grab our scythes and start working on the wheat, silence between us. I catch him watching me a few times but I don't say anything.

Melanie and Jared are adjacent to us and they laugh the whole time, both joyous. From what I can hear, they're planning to go on a "Wedding Raid" sometime within the next month, and Mel's obviously excited about it. I'm very happy for her and Jared; they deserve this.

We work continuously until dinner, only making the occasional small talk. By the time we're done, my back aches and my arms feel like spaghetti. Ian wraps his arm around me and walk to the cafeteria together. Everybody seems happy as we eat, the problems of the past few days now resolved. Once Sunny is inserted, everything will be back to normal again.

"Ta-da!" Trudy says halfway through the dinner. I turn to see her holding up a small, chocolate cake, a few candles in the center.

"What's this?" I ask, placing my napkin down.

"It's a cake, obviously," Jamie laughs, sitting beside her. "And a late 'Congratulations' one at that."

"Everybody felt bad about what happened yesterday with you," Heath says awkwardly, referring to their crazed reactions to my pregnancy. "So we thought we owed it to you!"

"Oh," I say, surprised. Ian looks at me and grins, curling his fingers around mine. "You didn't have to waste the cake mix on us. There are much better uses . . . like for the wedding."

"We'll get another one, Wanda," Mel rolls her eyes. "This is for you guys!"

I feel guilty as they set the cake down in front of us. Ian laughs and pulls my hair away from my face. "Blow the candles out."

"Huh?" I say, confused.

"It's a tradition, Wanda. Technically, it's for birthdays, but this fits in well enough," Jamie smiles. "You blow on the candles and make a wish."

I squint at him, not sure if this is a joke, but lean over and blow onto the flames. They sputter out as I think about how I wish for Sunny to be okay, for Mel and Jared to be happy, and for Ian and I to be able to have a wonderful family. Maybe three wishes was too many, but I hope not. Ian smiles and kisses me on the cheek as Lily helps to cut the cake.

"Here, Wanda!" she smiles, passing me a plate with a _huge _slice of cake.

"Oh, I can't eat all of this," I laugh. It's practically a mountain.

"Sure you can," Ian chuckles, grabbing a piece and holding it up to his mouth. "I'll help you, of course." I grin as he stuffs the piece in his mouth, covering his lips in chocolate. I do the same, the flavor warm and sweet on my tongue. I then lean over and kiss him on the lips, chocolate melting between us. He pulls away and looks at me with his perfect, sea-blue eyes. "I love you," he says.

"I love you too," I whisper as everybody laughs around us, eating cake and celebrating. Ian smiles and goes for another bite of the cake, then places one in my mouth. I giggle as I chew and rest my head against him. All of our problems are going away and it finally looks like things will turn out okay.

* * *

Late that night, Kyle, Fords and Jodi return. Most everyone is asleep except for a few of us. I insisted on staying up that night to wait for them, and Ian kept me company of course. When I hear their voices down the hall, I practically jump off of the bed to meet them there.

"Hi, Wanda!" Jodi says cheerfully; it's the first time I've seen her truly happy. It's weird talking to her, since I don't know her at all. But she knows me. It's a strange situation.

Kyle is beside her, carrying a small body in his arms. The caves are too dark; I can't make out her features very well. But she looks very young, around Jamie's age. Hopefully that isn't a problem for Sunny. Fords is beside them, carrying a bag from a pharmacy. He holds it up and I realize that it's all for me.

"Let's get her down to Doc's," Ian says, gesturing for us all to follow. When we get there, Doc is awake and working with some medicines.

"Ah, good," he says when Kyle walks in, the girl in his arms. "I've been studying what happened with the last, uh, body, and I should be able to prevent it with this medicine," he says, holding up a beaker. "It will shut down a specific part of the immune system temporarily. The body will still function properly, but it won't be able to attack Sunny."

"Great," I say. Kyle lays the girl across a cot and I finally get a good look at her. She's very similar to the last girl, with choppy brown hair brushing against her shoulders. But her face is very different, with big features and round cheeks. Kyle tells me she's only fifteen, but that he thought Sunny wouldn't mind. I don't think she would, either. The girl looks just right.

Doc and Fords get to work quickly, going through the familiar routine. The four of us - Ian, Jodi, Kyle and I - stay off to the side, talking quietly. Kyle never lets go of Jodi, always having a hand or an arm around her. He constantly looks down at her, as if checking to see that she's real and alive. After about an hour or so, Kyle and Ian pull off to the side to talk for a minute privately. I don't bother asking what they're talking about; some secret brother thing.

"So, you were inside of Melanie?" Jodi asks when they leave. I haven't really talked to her alone yet and it seems weird. I should be talking to Sunny, not her.

"Yes. Only for a short while, though. A year at most," I shrug.

"It's crazy, isn't it?" she says, squinting and looking over towards the cot where Sunny's new body lay. "How two people of completely different species can become so close? I . . . I don't think I've ever loved anyone as much as I love Sunny. Well, and Kyle, of course." She giggles and I do too.

"It is strange," I agree. "I hated Melanie at first. Absolutely detested her. But then it was almost impossible not to befriend her. I mean, we were sharing the same head." Jodi smiles, probably remembering her time with Sunny. "We know each other completely. It's amazing."

We're silent for a while and I watch as Doc walks over and tells Kyle something. "The medicine worked! Everything's fine," I hear him say. I smile at that but miss the rest of what he says. He's going to sleep, I assume. Sunny won't wake up until the morning. Doc leaves the hospital and Fords follows him out, both to get a good nights sleep.

"Were you there before?" I say abruptly. Jodi stares at me, uncomprehending. "I mean, before Kyle found you. Were you conscious when Sunny was first inserted?"

Jodi looks away and I realize I've hit a rough spot. "Sort of. I wasn't as alive as Mel was with you. But I was there. More of just listening, not really speaking. I wasn't strong enough, I don't think." Jodi shrugs, and I give her a warm smile. "The first few days after the insertion, I was barely there. But then I started to work my way up, kind of how I just did this past week with her. I fought very hard to stay alive in there. And Sunny tried to keep me there, too. We both grew fond of each other after a while, but I couldn't get Kyle out of my mind. _Our_ mind. It was hard.

"After about a year or so, I started to loose that control. I don't know why. I think some part of me just gave up. I figured that Kyle was either dead or a Soul himself. I didn't want to live in a world without him anymore. And . . I just vanished. Slowly slipped away from consciousness. I'm not sure why or how, but I did. And then I woke up again a week ago, realizing I've missed years of this life. Sunny was so happy. She told me how worried she was when I had gone away and she told me about Kyle finding us. I'm very happy that he did. I . . I probably wouldn't have come back if it wasn't for him."

"I'm glad you did, too. Kyle's so much happier around you," I smile.

"Yeah," she agrees, looking over at him as he talks with Ian. "I'm happier around him, too." She looks like she wants to say more, but I guess she's not sure what. Maybe we'll talk later. Kyle walks over tells her that he's going to sleep. She wishes me goodnight and then hurries off with him to their room, leaving Ian and I alone.

"I want to wait here," I tell him.

"Okay," he agrees without a fight. We curl up on the empty cot together, his arms holding me tightly so I don't fall off. I fall asleep almost instantly, I'm so at peace.


	33. Chapter 32

**Sorry I took so long to update! Crazy week. As a present, have some O'Wanda :) **

**I'm going to camp for three weeks. They have internet there, but I don't know how often I'll be able to update. Maybe once a week, probably on weekends. But I'll try!**

* * *

"Do you want more No Pain?" I ask Sunny, leaning over her on her cot. She only woke up an hour or so ago, but she feels so sick she hasn't gotten up. Doc thinks it's because of whatever happened in the other body; the immune attack on Sunny's real body, her Soul.

Ian and I were still sleeping when she woke, but I quickly jumped off the cot and attended to her. I was so happy. She was alive, here and well. And the host fit her perfectly. She was just the right size, with the most accurate features, and the sweetest, sunniest voice (pun intended). The first thing she said was something about Jodi, worrying about her and Kyle. I then explained to her what happened in the other body, with the surgery. When she asked how we removed her safely, I conveniently left out the part about sacrificing another Soul in her place. If it made me feel guilty, it would easily make her drown in blame.

"I'm fine, Wanda," Sunny says, smiling at me. She's still adjusting to this body and her eyebrows furrow, probably as she receives another memory. "Like Doc said, it's probably just because of the other host."

I sigh, wishing she'd just let me give her some No Pain. "Fine. But if it keeps bothering you, I think you should take some."

Sunny agrees to these terms and then pushes herself up on her shoulders. "I think I should go find Kyle," she says sadly. It's obvious she still loves him, despite the change in host. But now that Jodi's here, he can never love her back.

"Do you want me to come with you?" I ask her.

Sunny wrinkles her nose - something this host seems to be obsessed with - and shakes her head. "No. I need to talk to him alone, I think." I help her off of the cot and steady her when she sways to the side. She blinks wildly and laughs it off, but I can tell she still feels nauseous. She only reaches my chest standing up, and I once again wonder if she's okay with this body, and its age. She'll probably grow a lot, but still. She has such a huge age difference between others like Kyle and Mel.

"Please let me know if you need anything. I . . . I was really worried about you, Sunny. I just want to help, I tell her, looking into her matching eyes. Her body's eyes are light blue, so the silver almost over powers the color.

"I will. Thanks, Wanda," she smiles. Then she heads off, out of the hospital, and down to Kyle's room. I sigh and lean against the cot.

"Don't worry about her, Wanda. Everything will work out," Ian says, coming up from where he was waiting against the wall. He hasn't left since last night, not even to get food. He wraps his arms around my waist and presses my back against his chest. He kisses the top of my head and I lean against him. "You want to go get some breakfast?"

"Mmm," I agree as he kisses the side of my neck. He indulges me more before I stop him. "Doc is right over there, you know," I laugh, twisting around to face him. "How about we go eat and _then _we can pick this up where we left off?"

Ian grins devilishly and links his hand in mine. "I like the sound of that." He guides me out of the hospital and we walk to the cafeteria together. I finally feel as if I can relax - at least slightly. Mel and Jared are fine. Fords is doing great here. And Sunny is safe and sound. All that's left on my shoulders - or more literally, my stomach - is the baby. Doc gave me the bag of medecine earlier this morning, instructing me on what to take and when. It only reinforced the idea that I was going to have to deal with all this, all these human things that I do not understand yet. Most kids learn about pregnancies and birth and such when they're young; but for me, I've only learned about it once it was too late. The idea of everything still terrifies me and confuses me, but I'm still happy. It's just so different from the Souls' Mothering.

"Go find us a seat. I'll get our breakfast," Ian says, parting ways and heading towards the food, where Candy was scooping out eggs. I shuffle over to the center table, where my close friends are sitting. I scoot in beside Mel, who looks very happy today, and opposite of Jamie.

"Hey, Wanda. Sunny doing okay?" Mel asks, scooping up a big forkful of eggs. The only people who were there when she woke up were Doc, Ian and I. Everybody else was still sleeping.

"Yes. She woke up a little while ago. Kyle is with her right now," I say. "She feels sick, though. Doc thinks it's because of the attack on her in the other body, but I'm not sure. It worries me."

Mel purses her lips then shrugs. "I'm sure Doc's right. If it doesn't wear off by tonight, then maybe you can worry. But right now, just enjoy yourself. Everything is as it should be." Mel smiles like she has a secret and takes a long sip of water.

"Bon Appetit!" Ian smiles, setting down a huge serving of food infront of me. Eggs, toast, and even some bacon. I wonder if the bacon's in celebration of Sunny returning, or if it's just a random treat. We are raiding soon, I guess. We must be feeling lenient with the food rations.

"Huh?" I laugh, not understanding.

"It's French for 'enjoy your meal,'" Jamie says. I nod in understanding, digging into my eggs. "I think . . . Sharon's trying to teach us French in 'school.'"

"Why is she teaching you French?" Mel laughs. "There's not really a use for languages anymore."

"Is there a use for _school_ anymore?" Jamie counters, making us all laugh.

"Touché." Melanie nods. Another French word, I assume. Jamie smiles in understanding and I shake my head at them.

"It's so that once we take back our world, we'll have some mildly intelligent people in control," Jared says, messing up Jamie's hair. I smile, hoping that he's right. Maybe one day the Souls will get tired of Earth and move on. The human resistance can grow and take back what is rightfully theirs.

"What's the plan for today?" Mel asks.

"I think it's time to clean the mirrors. Jeb doesn't want to wait much longer; we've put it off for a couple of days," Ian answers. He scrapes up the last bit of his eggs and puts down his fork sadly.

"You want mine?" I ask him, offering the remaining chunk of lukewarm food on my plate.

"No, you need to eat up," Ian says. He's been watching my eating habits lately, making sure I eat for two. It's exhausting. "I'm fine, Wanda." He rolls his eyes at my annoyed expression but pushes the plate back to me. I sigh and finish eating.

"Can I help?" Jamie asks excitedly.

"No way," Mel scolds. "You have more French to learn. Go to school, Jam." He moans in annoyance but slides out of his chair and heads off to school. I laugh watching him as Jeb walks in.

"Hurry it up, people!" Jeb's voice booms across the cafeteria. "Those mirrors aren't going to clean themselves!"

I hastily stand up and put my dish away then follow the crowd of humans to the fields. "Woah, hold it," Ian says, tugging on my arm. He twists me around to face him. "What happened to finishing where we left off?" he raises an eyebrow at me.

I almost forgot about that I scrunch my eyebrows together. "We can't just put off working, Ian. We can continue tonight?" I suggest, more as a question. To be honest, I don't even want to work right now - which is rare for me. I'd rather just cuddle up with Ian in bed and rest for a while. But there are chores to do.

Ian looks over towards Jeb, who is looking at us like _hurry along, now! _"Fine." I kiss him gently on the lips to seal the promise. "But there's no way you're helping with the mirrors."

"But-"

"No, Wanda. I let you work in the fields, which was already pushing it. But the mirrors . . . that's more dangerous. Go help Candy with the dishes." Ian presses his lips to my forehead before I can argue and strolls off towards the fields. Great.

I sigh and head back towards the kitchen.

* * *

"Oh," I gasp as Ian walks into the room. I'm frozen in the center of it with my dirty shirt in my hands, wearing only a bra. "I was going to go wash up."

"That's alright," he grins. I finished working on the dishes earlier than he did, but assumed he wouldn't be back for at least another hour. I was wrong.

He struts over and kisses me on the lips. Then he grabs a clean towel off of a stack of them and tosses one to me. I catch it and quickly wrap it around myself, blushing for no reason. I pick up some clean clothes and head towards the door. But Ian stops me. "You're not going alone, are you?" he raises his eyebrows. _Oh_.

He smiles at my shocked expression and snatches up his own pile of clothes and a towel. He then walks with me to the make-do bathroom. Luckily, no one is there. They're probably all eating already.

It's very dark but I can still make out vague shapes. I watch as Ian tugs his shirt over his head. He then slips his shorts off and turns to me. I suck in my breath. "Come on," he says. He eases into the water so that only his upper body is visible. I inwardly frown.

I turn away from him despite the darkness to undress. I unclasp my bra and wiggle out of my jeans. When I'm done, I awkwardly wade into the water, still facing the wall so that he can't watch me. Once I'm in, though, I sink below so that only my neck is above. I float over to Ian and he extends his arm towards me. I take it and he twirls me in so that I'm pressed up against his bare body, water the only thing between us. I shiver at his touch. "Don't be shy, Wanderer," he laughs at my innocence.

"I can't help it," I reply, shrugging as he slides his hands behind my back. They inch up back and I grin in pleasure. "I just . . . I get so nervous around you." I say the last part quietly, hoping it won't hear. This is the first time he's seen Emily like this - her body completely - and it scares me. I don't want him to think any less of me in this body. But he might, and that terrifies me.

"Don't be, honey. I love you, okay? In any body," he says, practically reading my thoughts. He kisses me softly on the lips and I tilt my head back, widening the kiss. It feels so good, his touch on my skin, the fire coursing through him, electrifying me.

I wrap my legs around him so that he's holding me up in the water. My arms wind around his neck and I hold him close as he trails kisses down my neck, to my chest. I moan as his hand glide up and down my sides, his lips melting into my skin, burning like lava. I grab his hair and run my hands through it, then work my way down to his shoulders. I massage them carefully as he moves against me, then press my lips against his right one. He grunts and I smile to myself, kissing his shoulders then his neck. I move back up to his mouth our lips collide. I'm desperate to touch him, to feel him all over me. So desperate that I practically drag him underwater. Our lips stay in contact, keeping us breathing in sync with each other. I swim so that I'm under him, kicking my legs to stay in place as he kisses me more.

When we run out of breath we break the surface of the water, panting from both the lack of oxygen and the heat of the kiss. I bury my face in his chest and breath heavily against him as he strokes my back. "Wanda," he murmurs, pulling me away slightly so that we're face to face, our noses almost touching. "Your eyes are glowing," he smiles. I blush pink and close my eyes. I don't want him to stare at me, reminding himself that I'm an alien. "No, open them again," he scolds, caressing my cheek.

"Why?" I mumble, still scrunching my eyes shut. I can't see but I can feel Ian's arms around me, his body encompassing mine perfectly.

He pushes himself further against me so that not even the water separates us. His skin tingles against mine and I suck in another quick breath. "Because they're beautiful. You're beautiful, Wanda."

I open my eyes and smile. He covers my lips with a kiss.

* * *

**What did you think? A nice, happy chapter after all that intense drama was much needed. **


	34. Chapter 33

**PLEASE NOTE: THIS CHAPTER (AND THOSE THAT FOLLOW) WILL TAKE PLACE ABOUT 8 MONTHS IN THE FUTURE**

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_"You're very lucky, Wanderer. Not many of us are gifted with the ability to Mother," the Healer said, only days after my arrival on this new, strange planet: Earth. "By Mothering, you are serving your species a great duty and helping to serve the greater good of the Souls even further." _

_I sighed. I've heard this all before, on each of my eight planets. Apparently the Souls feel it necessary to reinforce the importance of Mothering to me. "Oh, yes, Healer Willow. I know that I am very lucky to have such an ability." Mothering would be a great honor for me. Some day._

_"Well, if you so choose to do so, maybe after you've finished a lifetime or two here, please let me know. Being a Mother is very altruistic, and we would highly appreciate it." _

_"Of course, Healer. Thank you." I smiled at her and headed out of the office. I remember when I first learned about Mothering. How a Soul chooses to sacrifice their life, split themselves into millions of Souls and die a painful death. All to continue the population of Souls. _

_The idea sounded wonderful yet terrifying._

* * *

"Wanda? Honey, can you hear me?" a man's soft voice floats in the air and I try to reach out for it. Catch it before it goes. But it's so faint. I feel myself drifting away, further and further from his voice. I want to know who's speaking, but I can't identify the voice. There's the faint cry of a baby in the background, but I don't understand why. Nothing makes sense. "Doc, do you have anymore Awake?"

His voice shifts and swirls, and I can picture his blue eyes easily in my head, though the rest of his face is a blur. Muffled voices wander through my head - all unrecognizable - and I hear the Healer telling me again. _You're very lucky, Wanderer. _For what? I wonder. I don't understand what's going on. I feel confused and worried. Why is the Healer here? What's going on? Who are all these people?

I hear another cry and furrow my brow. Who's crying? It can't be the Healer. It sounds too young.

"Here, let me have her," a girl says. The crying stops and I twist my head to the side, trying to pinpoint who it is. I don't understand.

"Wanderer, please, wake up. You're okay. Everything's okay. The baby's okay." His voice is warm and comforting. I sigh. "She's beautiful, Wanda. Please wake up; you have to see her."

My mind fills with memories of Healer Willows again. Her explanation of the Mothering process. It had made me so excited, thinking about having a child. The only part that saddened me was the fact that I would die in the process. I would never get to meet my children.

My baby.

_Oh.  
_

The memories come flooding back to me in a rush of color and noise. Melanie. The caves. Ian and Jared. The other resistances. Leaving. Pet. The raids. Emily. Sunny and Kyle and Jodi. Melanie and Jared's wedding. Telling everybody that I was pregnant.

I open my eyes, panting, breathing hard. Ian's sitting on the cot beside me, looking at me with concern. His deep, blue eyes are full of worry. I look at him and he sighs. "Where is she?" I ask immediately, realizing I must have blacked out before I could even see my own daughter.

"Oh, thank god you're awake," Ian says. He bends down and kisses my forehead, though it's covered and sweat, and strokes my hands gently. "Mel just took her out. I wanted to make sure you were okay, first." I nod slightly, hesitantly. I want to see my daughter. Now. But I suppose I should figure out what's going on, why I passed out. I barely remember anything from labor. "Do you feel okay? Anything hurt?"

Doc, now noticing I'm awake, has come over to the other side of the cot. Besides him and Ian, there's no one else in the room. But I can hear voices in the hallway, and I suspect they're all waiting there. "I . . I don't know. My head hurts a little. Is that normal? And I feel a little nauseous."

"That's normal, Wanda," he says, smiling gently at me. "It isn't normal, however, that you passed out. Do you remember what happened?"

I concentrate very hard on locating the memory, but there's nothing there. The last thing I remember is Ian carrying me in the middle of the night down to the hospital. "No."

Ian looks even more worried at my answer. He tightens his jaw and studies me carefully, stroking my cheek gently. "You . . you were screaming, Wanda. Nonsense. I don't even know what you meant," he says quietly.

"What was I saying?"

Doc and Ian exchange a glance and Ian looks away. "You were saying that you didn't want to be a mother. That you didn't want to die," he says. His voice is grim and I stare at him in horror. "It was only towards the end, but you were crying, Wanda. And then you blacked out."

My eyes widen in confusion and I try to understand. Why would I scream such horrible things? Of course I want to be a mother. I'm overjoyed by the idea of having a family. "Is she okay?" I ask after a long while. I don't want to think about it anymore. I just want to see our daughter.

Doc smiles and nods enthusiastically. "She's perfectly healthy. And very cute," he laughs.

"There's nothing wrong with her?" I ask again, just to be safe.

"Wanda, she's perfect," Ian smiles, kissing my forehead again. He looks at me and I can see the worry lines in his face. He notices my anxiety and sighs. "I guess we can figure out what happened with you later, right, Doc? I think we should bring her in."

Doc laughs. "Of course. I scanned you earlier and I can look over the results now while you talk. I'm sure it's nothing. But if you remember anything, please let me know." I nod in agreement and he heads over to his desk.

"MEL!" Ian yells and she immediately rushes in. In her arms is a little bundle of patterned blankets. My daughter.

Melanie doesn't say anything - though I can tell she's holding back - but just passes her over to me. I open my mouth and gasp at the sleeping figure in my arms. I pull back the blankets slightly so that I can see her face better.

She's so small and delicate, fitting perfectly in my arms. Her nose is like a button, small and cute, inherited from Emily's body. Her lips are barely thin lines, her eyebrows practically nonexistent. And her eyes, closed tight, are so small and precious I could cry. And I do. "Oh, Ian," I sob, holding her gently. I rock her back and forth in my arms, examining her as she sleeps. I can almost see the little puffs of breath she's letting out. "She's so perfect."

Ian slides into the seat beside me and wraps an arm around me. He places his other hand with mine, supporting the baby as well. "Isn't she?" he smiles and runs his thumb over her cheeks. "What do you think we should name her?"

I almost forgot about that. I hadn't thought about names much; I've been so preoccupied with everything else going on. "I honestly don't know," I laugh, staring at her cute little face. Her skin is so soft and pale. Despite the baby fat, I can tell she's going to have strong bones like her father.

"I was thinking 'Lena.'" Ian looks at me for thoughts.

"What does it mean?" I ask him, liking the sound of that.

"It means 'the bright one.' It reminded me of you, Wanda," he smiles. He turns and kisses me gently on the lips and I smile in pleasure. _The bright one. _Like me, a Soul, in my natural form. "And I think she should have a Soul name, too," he adds.

I bite my lip but smile at him. He really cares about what I think. As much as I hate to admit it, I love some of the Soul names. Some of them are truly beautiful. "Lena of the Stars," I whisper, liking the sound of it. _The bright one of the stars. _"Do you like that?"

He opens his mouth, a slight smile forming on his lips. He looks down at our daughter - at Lena - and nods. "It's perfect. Lena of the Stars."

"And for a full human name?" I ask him. I already have an idea in mind. She probably doesn't need another name, but when it's the end of the world, it doesn't really matter, does it? "Lena Wes O'Shea."

"Lena Wes. Lena of the Stars," he whispers, grinning. I smile, already imagining her taking that name. It's perfect. She's perfect. I feel so complete, looking down at her.

Just then, she lets out a yawn, scrunching her eyes shut and opening her mouth in a small 'O.' I giggle at it and Ian smiles, too. She opens her eyes and looks up at me, tired and sleepy. "Ian," I whisper, looking down at her.

"Yeah?" he asks, smiling as he holds one of her tiny hands in his.

"Did you notice her eyes?" I ask, barely whisper. I'm too focused on the shimmering rings of silver wrapped around Lena's sea-blue yes. They're very faint, just barely there, but still visible enough. If you look. "Why . . . why are they like that?" I ask, worried.

"Of course I noticed, Wanda," he says as if it's no big deal. He smiles down at Lena and she lets out a shy, little smile. "Doc doesn't know yet. He thinks it has something to do with you fainting. But I don't mind. I think they're beautiful." He examines her eyes closely before she yawns again and closes them.

"Yes," I agree, for the first time thinking that the eyes of a Soul are a beautiful thing. "They really are."

* * *

**Okay, so I know this chap was super short, but I thought this was a good place to leave off! Was it too cliché? I tried not to do the stereotypical birth scene...Let me know what you think. Also do you like the name Lena of the Stars? I thought it fit them well. And what do you think is wrong with Wanda? **


	35. Chapter 34

**Sorry for no update in forever! I've been super busy at college and it's been crazy! I'll try to update later this week**

* * *

"She's so cute!" Sunny giggles, lifting up Lena of the Stars in her arms. She smiles at her and Lena giggles, though very shyly. "Oh, Wanda, I'm so happy for you. For both of you," she adds, looking at Ian.

We're sitting in our room with Lena the next day, a steady flow of people coming in and out of the room to say hello to her. Jeb says that Ian can have the week off of chores, and I can take as much time as I need to, though I hope to get back on my feet within two weeks or so. Right now, Sunny, Jodi, and Kyle are in here, all swooning over the baby. Even Kyle looks captivated by the little baby in Sunny's arms.

"Thanks, Sunny," I smile. Ian's hand is warm around my waist, stroking my back gently as I lean against him.

"Yeah, congrats, bro," Kyle says, patting Ian on the back. "Though I have to say, the looks are _all_ Wanda. If any of these genes are yours, Ian, this baby would be hideous," he jokes. Ian shakes his head at him, but laughs.

"She's got Ian's eyes," Sunny says, rocking Lena back and forth. "And yours, too, Wanda, I guess . . " she adds. Everybody's been a little on edge after discovering Lena's Soul-like eyes. Doc is unsure of what it means, but he's working on it. It doesn't bother anybody, but it makes us all worried. What does it mean? Sunny quickly realizes she brought up a rough topic and passes the baby back to me. I take Lena in my arms and cuddle her towards my chest. She feels so warm it makes me smile.

Ian kisses my shoulder and then stands up. "We're going to go eat. We'll be back later, though. Let me know if you need anything," Jodi says, standing up. Kyle wraps an arm around her and the two head off, chatting as they walk. I lean back against the wall and rock Lena in my arms.

"I should go, too," Sunny says. I raise an eyebrow at her and she blushes. Lately she's been spending a lot of time with Jamie. Weird, right? But ever since she was put in this body - such a young one, at that - she's been trying to forget her feelings for Kyle. She admitted to me a while ago that she still loves him but it's getting easier. Jamie's taking her mind off of him apparently. Mel isn't too happy about it, but she loves Sunny enough to let it go. "Umm. . . I'll see you later," she says sheepishly before darting out the door. I laugh as she exits.

"Do you want me to grab you some dinner?" Ian says, stroking my arm. "You haven't eaten much all day."

"I'm fine," I say, staring down at Lena. Her eyes are closed and her breathing is steady. Sound asleep already.

"Wanda, you need to eat. You just had a baby," he says, looking down at me like I'm the child. "At least some bread and water? Something simple."

I sigh but nod. "Okay." He kisses my forehead and exits the room, leaving me alone with Lena. I'm so worried about her. I'm worried there might be other parts of her that are more Soul than human. What if she has problems? What if she will only live for a short while? The thoughts terrify me.

Doc has no idea why she has my Soul eyes. But I do. Or, at least, I have a theory.

Ever since I passed out, I've felt a little empty. Not as a human, but as a Soul. Like I can feel my natural body is uncomfortable. My worry is that part of my body - my real, Soul form - was attached to Lena when she was still in the womb. I'm worried that part of me, and possibly an important part, was passed down to her somehow. She could be more Soul than possible.

I haven't told Ian yet. Not because I don't want him to know, but because I'm scared. I don't want it to be true. I don't want Lena to have to be looked at as Soul by other human groups. We've had enough problems meeting them with just Sunny and I alone, let alone with Fords and now Lena tagging along. There's no way she'll be treated like a true human.

And she deserves to be human. She really does.

"I brought you some soup, just in case," Ian says, shoving the makeshift door aside, disrupting my thoughts. I look up at him, carrying two trays of food in his hands, and smile lightly. I stand up and put Lena down in her crib - which Kyle found on a raid and then proceeded to assemble with lots of difficulty. She immediately curls up and I wrap an extra blanket around her. She looks so peaceful, so unaware of the wartorn world outside.

"Thanks," I say as Ian passes me a tray. Despite my lack of hunger, I sip the soup between bites of bread.

"I saw Doc in the plaza. He wants to come check on you after he eats. Is that okay?" he says, bread stuffed in his mouth, making his cheeks puff out slightly.

"Yes," I agree.

"Good. He thinks he's figured out what's going on with Lena and her eyes . . . " he drifts off, realizing how uncomfortable I feel. This is all my fault. She's not fully human and I'm to blame. "Wanda, it will be okay. I promise." He brushes a strand of hair out of my face and smiles down at me.

"I know. I just feel so guilty."

"Why?" he asks. His eyebrows crunch together and his jaw tightens.

"Because this is my fault. If . . if you were with a human-" Ian starts to object, but I stop him. "If you were with a human girl, you wouldn't have this problem. You'd have a perfectly normal, healthy daughter. You wouldn't have to worry about things like this," I admit. I shove away my tray of food, not hungry at all anymore.

Ian sighs and purses his lips. He moves our plates aside and stands up, running his hands through his hair. "Wanda," he breathes, his voice tense and his eyes closed. "When are you going to stop thinking of yourself like this? Pulling the Soul card all the time? When will you finally start to realize that I don't care if you're a Soul; you're human to _me!" _

I'm taken aback by his anger and my mouth drops open. He looks almost furious, so frustrated and confused by my behavior. "I just . . . I can - "

"No, Wanda. No excuses," he argues. He rushes back over to the bed and kneels down in front of it, grabbing both of my hands in his and staring into my eyes. His are so blue and beautiful, brilliant as the sky. "We've been together for almost 3 years, now. And I've _never, _even momentarily judged you for being a Soul, aside from when I first met you. But I regret that so much, you know that. I hate myself for how I treated you those first few days. But once I got to know you, I loved you. I've loved you for who you are as a _person, _Wanderer. Not a human and not a Soul. A person. You're so much more than a human could possibly be; so much smarter and kinder and wiser and prettier. Everything about you is beyond human. And I love that about you. You're so extraordinary, so magical.

"I don't want some human girl. I don't want a stupid, normal family. I want _you, _Wanderer. You and Lena and me. Together as a family. That's all." He sucks in a deep breath and looks down at my hands. My lips tremble as I watch him, my heart rushing beneath my chest. "Lena . . she's perfect, Wanda. So unbelievably incredible in every way. And she's healthy, Wanda. Who cares if she has your eyes? Or if she is somehow half-Soul? Why would that make me feel any different about her?"

I swallow hard and bite my lip. My chest aches and I long to be held in his arms. I push myself off the bed and sink down into his lap. I lay my head against his chest. I feel his arms encircle me, surrounding me in warmth. "I'm sorry, Ian. I know everything you said is true. I know that being a Soul doesn't matter to you. And I try to make it not matter to me, I do. But it's just so hard. I don't want our daughter to grow up being treated like I was at first. I don't want people to get the wrong impression from her. I just . . . I want her to be human. As human as possible," I admit.

He strokes my hair and rocks me back and forth in his arms. "No one will treat her differently, Wanda. I promise. Everybody loves her and accepts her already and it's only been a day." He almost laughs, which makes me smile slightly. "Don't feel guilty. Nothing's wrong with her and it's not your fault."

"Okay," I mumble. He guides my chin upwards and his lips meet mine. We kiss for a quick second, making me feel at ease once again. Ian always makes me feel better, even when we're fighting. He knows just what to say.

Somebody knocks on the door.

"Doc," Ian says, pulling away. He lifts me back onto the bed and then rushes to the door. He greets Doc, who's holding a small bag of equipment in his hands. Fords is right behind him, smiling pleasantly. "Come on in," he says.

"Hey, Wanda. How are you feeling today?" Doc asks, taking a seat down on the bed.

"I'm fine. Just a little tired, that's all," I say. He takes out a stethoscope and places it on my chest, instructing me to breathe. Just a standard check up I presume.

"I think I've figured it out," he announces as he begins to check my blood pressure. He's talking about Lena. I try to act surprised as he recounts what I already figured out. Ian looks scared as he talks, worried - probably - about me. "It seems that during labor, your body - not your host, but your actual Soul - was put under an immense amount of pressure. I presume that Souls aren't used to this kind of experience and that you weren't necessarily prepared to handle it. It seems to me that some of your cells tried to, well, attack Lena. They thought that they could stop the pain by inserting themselves in her. However, it appears as if - rather than harming Lena in any way - they sort of embedded themselves in her nervous system, thus causing her Soul-like eyes. It hasn't hurt her at all, but just sort of adjusted her appearance. For all we know, she could exhibit some Soul-like behavior when she's older, but nothing harmful should happen. Fords and I talked it over and we've discovered this is the most likely possibility." Fords nods in agreement.

Ian's eyes dart back and forth between Lena, sleeping in her crib, and I. "But what about Wanda? What if those . . . cells were important? Is that why she passed out?" His voice is laced with worry and I want to calm him down, assure him I'm fine.

"Yes, but I'm certain she's fine," Doc says, now pulling out another device and scanning it up and down my body. "Fords?"

He nods and faces Ian, ready to explain. "Souls are very good at regenerating. In many insertions, there are problems were certain fibers get damaged and such. We can usually repair or regenerate them within a matter of hours, a day at most. But with Souls who hold the ability to Mother, they have an even higher regeneration rate. In order for a Soul to Mother, it has to be in perfect condition so that it can produce the most amount of Souls. Therefore, the Soul will usually regenerate itself very quickly before splitting itself apart into multiple cells and eventual Souls."

Ian still looks concerned, but his face has loosened up slightly. He doesn't seem as tense, though his gaze is still on me. "So she's fine?"

"Perfectly," Doc smiles. He puts away his instruments and stands up. "Everything's as it should be after a pregnancy. I'll check on her again in a few days, or tomorrow if you'd like. But if not, she should be good to go. Let me know if you need anything, Wanda." We both thank him and he and Fords file out of the room, chatting nonchalantly about medical terms.

I stand up and lift Lena up from her crib, stroking her face gently as she sleeps. Ian comes up from behind me and wraps his arms around us both. "See, everything's fine. You're both okay. Everything's going to be okay." He kisses my neck and we sway back and forth, both of us watching as our little daughter sleeps peacefully in my arms.

* * *

**So there's only one more thing left to happen, right? A WEDDING! Stay tuned ;) **


	36. Chapter 35

**Okay, so I'm leaving for Europe tomorrow morning for two weeks, so I won't be able to update until after that. I'll try to update immediately when I get back, but I'm not sure. Hopefully this chapter is enough to hold you over (no cliffhanger :)**

* * *

"Oh, Mel," I gasp as I enter her room. She's standing in front of her small mirror, fixing some dangling strands of hair. The rest of her hair is pinned up in an elaborate labyrinth of braids and curls. Her eyes are rimmed in thin, black liner and her lips are painted a vibrant red. Her cheeks are light pink, but I'm not sure whether that's from blush or from her nerves. "You look beautiful."

She's dressed in a short, white dress. Melanie said that the tradition is to have a long, white wedding dress, but that wasn't something we could just pick up on a raid. Instead, Sunny helped find this dress, which was more suited for a highschool dance, but still looked incredible.

It has a sweetheart neckline that scoops low in the center. The bodess clings to her skin and then flares out at her thighs in a gentle curve. The fabric is soft and smooth, rippling as she moves. Small bands of lace run horizontally along the bottom and top of the dress. The dress cuts off right above her knees, though the back of the dress is slightly longer. She is wearing sparkling, silver heels and her engagement ring shimmers on her finger. She looks stunning.

"Thanks, Wanda," she says shyly. Melanie is, by no means, a girly-girl. I've rarely ever seen her in a dress, let alone with makeup on and her hair done. But I can tell that she feels incredible today, dressing like the bride she is. Melanie tries to pass herself off as strong and tough, but I can see that sometimes she just wants to be a girl. "Do you think the shoes are too much? Lily says they're perfect, but I don't know . . ."

"They are perfect," I assure her. "You look amazing, Mel."

"So do you!" she laughs, gesturing at me. I'm dressed in a simple blue dress that Sunny also picked up on the last raid. She went about a week ago with Kyle, Heath and Jodi. Melanie and Jared had gone a few months back on the so-called "Wedding Raid" to get the majority of materials. But Sunny decided to go last week to pick up clothes for everybody (Melanie couldn't pick out her dress herself with Jared there) along with things such as fresh flowers and good food.

The dress she picked out for me is nothing like Mel's. It is more conservative and subdued, something that I'm very grateful for. I would never feel comfortable in a revealing dress. It has tiny sleeves and a scoop neckline, outlined in a strip of black. The dress crunches at the waist, where a small ribbon of beads wraps around like a belt, and then flows outwards. With it, I'm wearing plain black heels that Sunny also snatched for me. Ian says I look amazing in it, but I just feel awkward. Especially compared to Melanie, who's practically radiating beauty.

"Can you help me with this?" she asks, holding up a thin sheet of fabric called a veil. Sunny couldn't find a real one in any of the department stores, and going to a wedding dress store was too risky, so she simply picked up some fabric and hair pins. Trudy helped to sew it all together. I pin the veil into place and it floats over Melanie's face, blurring her features. "How does it look?" she asks. She shifts her weight awkwardly, nervously.

"Perfect. I think. It's supposed to cover your face, right?" I laugh. She nods, giggling.

"The groom is supposed to pull it up when I reach the podium, before the ceremony starts. Don't worry," she explains. She takes one final look at herself in the mirror and then whirls around to face me. "Do you think this is a bad idea? Like, a stupid one? I mean, getting married doesn't mean anything down here. It's not even legal."

"Melanie," I say, placing an arm on her shoulder. "This is a great idea. It doesn't matter about legality or anything. What matters is that you love each other. And by getting married - even if only symbolic - it binds you both completely to each other. It represents your eternal love."

Mel smiles at me and then looks away. "Did Ian tell you that?" she asks, narrowing her eyes.

"What? No!" I defend myself, lying. Of course Ian told me it. I'm still not completely sure about how this whole wedding thing works. But I'm not going to let Mel know that. She gives me a look, shaking her head. "Okay . . . he did," I admit. She just laughs, tossing her head back.

"Well, then, thank you, Ian!" she says. She sighs and takes a large, deep breath. "Should we go?"

"If you're ready." She closes her eyes and nods, then heads out the door.

* * *

**Mel POV**

It's incredible how much Jodi and Lily transformed the caves. There were candles running across the walls. The simple picnic tables have been covered in white tablecloths, with flower petals sprinkled on top of them, a large candle centered in the middle. They've been placed methodically so that they leave an aisle between them, which is outlined by strips of fabric left over from my veil. And standing at the end of the make-do aisle is a podium, made out of random miscellaneous crates stacked side-by-side. Jared's standing on top of it, dressed in a black suit, his eyes shimmering with excitement.

Walking through the doorway is probably the most horrifying moment of my life. Wanda, who I've decided to have walk me down the aisle, holds my arm steady in hers and guides me slowly through the room as my heart rate picks up. All eyes turn to me and everybody rises from their seats. They're all dressed in the nicest clothes we could find, and big, wondrous smiles are painted on their face. Jeb is looking at me proudly from the makeshift stage, along with Sharon and Maggie. Jodi, Sunny, Paige, Luciana, Trudy, Lily and all the other girls are all smiling and giving me looks of enthusiasm, supporting me. Kyle, Heath, Geoffrey, Doc, Fords and some others are all giving content smiles, but they don't seem as into it as the girls. Wedding were never a guys thing, were they?

Ian, who's standing up front, looks happy but sad at the same time. He's probably wishing it was Wanda walking down the aisle instead of me. He's holding Lena in his arms, who, despite the enormous event, is sleeping soundly, wearing a cute, pink dress.

Jamie's standing on the podium beside Jared, smiling proudly in his button down shirt. He looks so young and innocent, even though I know he's all grown up by now. He's giving me his biggest smile and I can practically see the urge to jump up and down growing inside of him. All he's ever wanted was for Jared and I to get married.

And then there's Jared, who's standing tall in the center, staring straight at me with the strangest expression on his face. A mix of wonder and curiosity, excitement and nervousness. Everything I love about him is right there in that expression, making me melt inside.

I'm too busy watching him to realize Wanda's left my side to stand next to Ian. And that I'm standing right in front of Jared, whose hand is outstretched, ready to help me up onto the crates. I take it gratefully and hop on up beside him, than face him. He gently lifts the veil over my head and sucks in a sharp breath, taking me in. My own breath quickens and I have trouble focusing as Jeb talks.

"Now, I'm no preist," he starts, giving us all a serious look. I fight back a laugh. Jared rolls his eyes, but he's smiling. "So we're just going to cut all the crap and skip straight to the good stuff, alright?"

We nod in agreement, Jared's hands squeezing mine. "Do you, Jared Howe, take Melanie Stryder to be your wife? Do you promise to care for her through thick and thin, through rich and poor, through health and sickness, through alien invasion and human rebellion?" The last part makes me laugh, though Jared keeps a straight face.

"I do," he whispers, looking straight into my eyes. A shiver rolls down my spine and I fight to stay focused. He slips a ring carefully onto my ring finger and then steps back.

"And do you, Melanie Stryder, take Jared Howe as your husband? Do you . . . well you know the rest," Jeb sighs. Preist is definitely last on his list of possible jobs.

I press my lips together and squeeze Jared's hand. "I do," I whisper, only so that he can hear. I place an identical wedding band on his finger and then look up at him. His lips creep up into a smile and before I know it we're kissing, despite the fact that Jeb hasn't said anything about, "You may now kiss the bride." Oops.

Neither of us care. I wrap my arms around him and hold him tightly, kissing him passionately with all my heart. He presses his chest against me then pulls away, probably realizing that we're in public. "I love you," he smiles, pressing his forehead to my nose.

"Eh, you're okay," I reply, shrugging nonchalantly. He grabs me by the waist and picks me up, laughing and teasing me. I fall into a fit of giggles - a rare thing for me - as he twirls me around then kisses me again. "I love you too," I finally say.

We look at each other one last time before stepping off of the crates and taking our seats beside Wanda, Ian, Kyle, Jodi, Sunny and Jamie. Trudy and Lily serve dinner to us, which is a surprisingly fancy meal of chicken, rice and vegetables. Not too bad for the caves. Jared's arm keeps tight around my waist as we eat, everybody talking over each other excitedly. Wanda grins at me from across the table, holding little Lena in her arms. "That was beautiful," she says of the ceremony.

"Really? I wouldn't describe Jeb's wording as beautiful . . ."

"No," she laughs, shaking her head, making her auburn curls fly around. "I mean, the concept of this. I know that you told me all about it, but seeing it was so nice. The vowing to care for each other, the rings . . . it was all so lovely," she sighs. Ian is watching her now, listening to her as she recounts her views on the wedding. I sense that he's anxious to repeat these events for himself, and I hope that he asks her. Wanda is obviously in love with this human concept - it would make her feel completely human - and I would love more than anything to see her that happy. "And I'm really happy for you. This is amazing!"

I laugh and smile. Jared squeezes my waist. "Yeah, it is," he says, looking down at me. I look up at him and see the glint in his eyes, the mischievous look he has. He's definitely ready for the _honeymoon_.

"Who's ready for cake?" Jeb calls across the room, interrupting the moment.

"I am!" Jamie calls, his mouth still full of chicken. "Mel, Jared, come cut it!"

* * *

**Wanda POV**

The wedding was so wonderful. Everything about it was a joy. The decorations, the ceremony, the dinner. Seeing Mel and Jared so happy, so in love, really made me appreciate what I have with Ian. We have that same bond, that same connection. And it's amazing.

"Look at her," Ian says later that night, as he's setting Lena of the Stars down in her crib. She makes a giggling, squeaky sound and I smile. I make my way over to the crib and stand beside him, looking down at her. "Is there anything else that could make this more perfect?"

I curl my arms around his waist and lean against his chest, feeling his steady heartbeat. The sound comforts me, assures me that he's here, that this is real. "No," I breathe into his chest. "I have all I need right here, with you." I cringe at the clichéness of that, but it's true. Everything I want I have. Mel and Jared, Jamie and Sunny, Kyle and Jodi. Lena and Ian. They're all right here for me, making me feel at home. I am home.

"So do I," he replies. He guides me over to the bed and lays me down beside him. He holds me against him, my back to his chest, and places gentle kisses near my neck. I close my eyes in pleasure. "We're going to have a great life, Wanda. I know we will."

* * *

**Okay so how did you like the wedding? Was it too cheesy? Probably. Somebody requested that I did Mel's POV so I really wanted to fulfill that request with this scene. There's only one more chapter left- THE EPILOGUE! I'll post it when I get back! **


	37. Epilogue

**Here it is: THE EPILOGUE (P.S. it's extra long because I made you wait two weeks) **

* * *

*seven years later*

"Mommy?" Lena asks just as I'm walking out of her room. Once she grew out of her crib, we moved Lena into one of the smaller rooms across the hall from us. It was just big enough for a small twin mattress and a tiny nightstand. Freedom used to live in there, but now that he's older, he stays in his brother's room. I don't like having Lena in a separate room—away from me—but Ian and I need some privacy.

"Yes, honey?" I reply turning around and leaning against the door. She's sitting up in her bed now, the covers crumpled around her feet. Her wavy, brown hair swayed at the edge of her shoulders, still damp from the washroom. Her eyes, shimmering silver in the dim light, were wide and big, the same shape as Ian's.

"Will you tell me now?" she asks, her voice quiet, fearful. She looks down at her stuffed bunny—a gift from Mel and Jared from her last birthday. She plays with its ears while she awaits my answer.

I suck in a deep breath, knowing I should've expected this question. I walk back over to her bed and smooth out the blankets on the end, then take a seat. Lena's looking at me again with her wide eyes, hopeful that I'll finally answer.

"Lena, this is something your father should be here for," I explain. Ian's out on a quick raid with Jared and Fords to get more medicine. He left two days ago and should be back tonight, but I'm hoping Lena won't remember that. She'll only wait up until she gets the answers she wants.

"Fine, then I'll wait till he gets home tonight," Lena smiles, squinting her eyes. Of course she would remember. I sigh and shake my head.

"He's not going to be back till very late, sweetie. And I don't think he'll want to talk about it this late at night. It's a long story," I tell her, hoping this will convince her. Ian and I have been putting off telling Lena about our apocalyptic, war stricken world. She knows something's weird about how we live—how we always go on raids, how our foods fairly simple, the small amount of people that live her, our confinement to the cave barriers. She's known it for a long time, but we've refused to tell her until she was old enough to be able to understand it all.

Though only seven years old, Lena's very smart for her age. Ian wants to tell her; he wants to be able to be honest about this with her. I do, too, but I'm afraid of what she'll think of me. If she'll judge me or not. Think of me as an alien intruder, not her human mother.

"But Daddy said I'm old enough now!" she wines, batting her eyelashes and pouting her lips. The lines of her face are sharp, like Ian's, but when she makes that face, the edges soften and round out. "I want to know the truth, Mommy. Please," she begs, leaning forward on the bed.

"I don't kn—"

"I think it's about time we told her, Wanda," somebody says from behind me. I whirl around to see Ian standing in the doorway, his clothes dirty and his hair a mess. But he's beautiful all the same; leaning there in the pale, cave light.

"Ian," I gasp, standing up. "You're back!" I smile and run over to him, wrapping my arms around him. He hugs me back, kisses the top of my head. I hadn't expected him to be home so early—it couldn't be later than eight o'clock, nine maybe. But here he is, hugging me tightly and smiling down at me.

"Of course I am," he laughs. Ever since Lena was born, we rarely go on raids together anymore. Only a couple of times we'll go—when we're both needed. Whenever one of us _does _go on a raid, the other is worried sick at home for the few days that they're gone. Even though I know Ian is smart enough to stay safe, every hour waiting for him is like agony. "And how's our little girl?"

He pulls away and heads over to Lena, leaning down and lifting her up off the bed. He spins her around in the air and she screams with excitement. Then he lowers her down and kisses her on the forehead. "Daddy, stop!" she laughs, squirming in his arms. He sets her down gently on the bed. "Will you tell me now?" she asks immediately after hitting the mattress.

Ian gives me a look, hopeful but concerning at the same time. He's willing to wait until I'm ready if he has to. But his eyes, so blue and so perfect, guilt me into it. I have no choice but to nod my head and walk over to Lena's bed.

I sit down gingerly on the edge and Ian does the same on the other side, Lena's legs sandwiched in-between us. Ian takes my hand and gives it a tight squeeze, letting me know that he's here for me. No matter what Lena might think of me after this talk is over.

"Lena, I want you to know that we only kept this from you for so long because it's very complicated and hard to understand. It's okay if you don't get it all right now. But we want you to at least know why we live here in the caves," I start. Lena rolls her eyes, having expected this introduction, and pulls her bunny to her chest.

"A few years ago, before you were born, our planet was invaded by a group of . . . aliens called Souls." Ian gives me a look, telling me silently that he doesn't like my word choices, but I continue anyway. "We—they take over human bodies in order to live themselves. When they came to Earth, the humans tried to rest against them, to fight back. But the Souls were too powerful. They quickly populated most of the planet, took over everything the human's had made."

Ian's looking away at a spot on the wall, trying hard not to listen to my words. He hates it when I tell the story like I'm the enemy—but how else do I tell it?

"What do you mean? How did they take over people?" Lena asks, her eyebrows furrowed together, making her look even more like Ian.

I take a deep breath and look down at my hands, avoiding her eyes though I know it would help her understand better, make her listen. "The Souls are very small, Lena. The size of bugs. Once they get inside a human body, they attach themselves to the brain of the human, all of its nerves. They then have control over the body—basically become that person but with a different mind," I explain.

"So if I was a Soul, I could become Daddy and make him do all sorts of funny stuff?" she wonders, grinning.

Ian laughs at that and shakes his head. "I guess you could, sweetie. But that's not really the point," he sighs. "The Souls can only live when they're in a body. So they insert themselves into humans in order to have a life."

"Oh," she says, as if it's that simple. We haven't even gotten to the complicated part yet.

It's quiet for a moment as I think of what to say next. Which direction to go in, where to start exactly. But Lena interrupts me before I can continue. "What happens to the human?"

I suck in a sharp breath. I wasn't expecting her to ask that. Ian shares a look of concern but he knows that it'd be better if I explained. "Well, sometimes the human's mind disappears."

"Forever?"

I nod grimly. Lena's face sinks. "But, in other cases, the human's consciousness is strong enough that it survives and lives inside of its body _with _the Soul." I could end this conversation here, but I decide I might as well get to the hard part. She'll have to find out eventually. "That's how it was with your Aunt Mel."

"What?" she shrieks completely shocked. "Aunt Mel was taken by a Soul?"

Ian takes a shaky breath and rubs my back gently. I can tell he wants to talk, to try to make this easier for me, but I shake my head subtly and take a deep breath. "Yes. Lena, this is the hard part, okay? Are you sure you're ready for this?" I'm hoping she changed her mind, that that was enough information for one day. But no, our daughter just nods her head eagerly.

"Lena, honey . . . I took over Aunt Mel's body a long time ago." I don't say it directly, but she picks up on the hidden message: that I'm a Soul. Her eyes widen, maybe in fear, and her mouth drops open slightly. Then she squints and looks between Ian and I, confused.

"What do you mean, Mom? You . . . you're a Soul? But that doesn't make any sense!" she cries, frustrated. Her little brain is trying to process this, but it's too much.

I reach out for her arm and wrap my hand around it, stroking my thumb across her soft skin. "It's okay, sweetie. I know it's hard to believe, but I'm not from here. I'm from another planet, Lena. I came to Earth years ago and was put into Aunt Melanie's body. She was still alive inside of my, or _our, _head, though. And she led me here, to the caves. To her family—Uncle Jared and Uncle Jamie; Jeb, Sharon and Maggie. And I fell in love with the humans, Lena. With the caves and the lifestyle and the people. I love so many people here, darling." I almost choke on the words. I can feel Ian's arm, now wrapped around me tight, like a comforting blanket. He rubs me gingerly, steadying me. Lena stares up at me with wondering eyes.

"But I didn't think I could stay here. I needed to give Aunt Mel her life back. So I left—told Doc to . . . send me to another planet," I lie. She's too young to know that I told him to kill me, to bury me. She doesn't have to know that right now—or ever for that matter. "But your father and Aunt Mel brought me back. They saved me and reinserted me into another body so that I could stay here with them. Does that make sense?"

Lena's eyes are full of water, though I don't know what the tears are from. Is she scared of me? Mad? Worried? Or is she purely confused, not really comprehending any of this? "But if you're a Soul . . . then that means that you took over Earth." She doesn't say it accusingly, just matter-of-factly.

"Yes—"

"No," Ian interrupts. "Your mother had no part in that. Other Souls did that, meaner ones. But your mother is the kindest person in the whole universe and she never meant to hurt any humans. She's helped everybody in the caves survive so long. She cares about us more than I could possibly dream of, sacrificed her old life just to satisfy us. She's not the enemy, Lena."

"Well, of course not!" Lena laughs, as if this is some joke. "How could Mommy ever be the bad guy? It's not _her _fault she's from another planet!"

My mouth drops open at the words coming out of her mouth. My little Lena, so young yet so knowledgeable; speaking some of the wisest words I've heard about Souls.

"That's right!" Ian agrees, grinning. He pats her head and messes up her hair, making her laugh.

"And what planet are you from, Mommy?" Lena asks excitedly, rising up on her knees so that she's level with me.

I choke out a laugh, so relieved that she's not scared of me. That she's not mad. "It's called the Origin. It's very far away," I smile.

"Can I go there one day?" she asks excitedly.

"I'm afraid that's not possible, sweat pea," Ian shrugs. "It'd take years and years to get there. You'd be an old lady by the time you got there." He's grinning ear to ear, but Lena's face shows no humor.

"But then how did Mommy get her? She's not an old lady," Lena points out.

"Technically, I am," I respond. "I've been to nine planets, Lena. I've stayed on each one for many years, multiple lifetimes. I'm thousands of years old, though this body is much younger."

"WHAT?" she gulps. "Oh my gosh, that's so cool!" She stands up on the bed with excitement, but Ian pulls her back down into a sitting position.

"I guess it is," I laugh, taking her hand in mine. "Lena, are you sure you understand all of this? Does it make sense to you?"

She nods enthusiastically, looking between Ian and I with a newfound curiosity. She studies us for a moment before opening her mouth to speak again. I let her talk, anxious to be the one answering the questions rather than feeding her random information. This was much easier. "How do I know you're really a Soul? What if this is a joke?" She narrows her eyes at me and keeps a calm composure. Of course she'd assume this was a trick; Jared's always messing with her mind when he sees her.

"All Souls have the same eyes," I say, pointing to my silver-rimmed irises.

She takes in this fact and then realization dawns upon her, her head perking up as if someone pulled a string from the top of her head. "Miss Sunny and Doctor Fords both have the same eyes! Are they Souls, too?"

"Yes, they are," Ian says, smiling proudly at our smart, little daughter. Who would've thought she'd understand all this, take this so well? "Sunny was inside of your Aunt Jodi when she first got here. And Fords is here to help with the medical stuff. They both love humans just as much as your mother does. They're on our side," he tells her, winking.

She bites her lip, processing the information and then seems to have yet another epiphany. "Mommy . . . how come I have eyes like yours? I'm not a Soul, am I?" Her voice is laced with fear and I finally get the slightest feeling that some of this scares her. Though she seems fine with the idea of her mother being a Soul, being a Soul herself seems to alarm her slightly.

"No, Lena, but because _I _am a Soul, part of me is in your blood, making you just a teensy-bit Soul," I inform her. She doesn't seem scared by this, though, just a little curious. "You're human, Lena. But you have my eyes, that's for sure."

A few moments go by in silence as Lena seems to go through the whole story in her mind. There's so much more to tell her, but they'll save that for another day. This was enough information to have to get used to. "Are you okay, sweetie? I know it's a lot to take in. But we'll help you understand it, I promise. If you have an questions at all. If you get scared about anything, just tell us. We love you, Lena. We just wanted you to know the truth, okay?" I tell her, leaning in close.

She nods her head and we get off of the bed. I quickly make her bed, tucking her beneath the blankets and sealing her in a bundle of warmth, just her head peaking out, resting on a gentle pillow. Ian kisses her lightly on the forehead before heading outside of the room. I lean over and do the same, the brush a stray strand of hair aside from her face. "I love you, Lena of the Stars. Don't forget that."

She looks up at my eyes, visible easily in the dark light. "I love you too, Mommy." With that, she closes her eyes and curls into a ball, falling asleep quicker than I thought possible. I close her door silently and head back to our room, where Ian's waiting for me. He's already under the covers, his chest bare and his arms stretched wide across both of our pillows. I roll my eyes at him.

"That went well," he says simply.

"She doesn't hate me," I murmur, more to myself. I'm so overcome with joy. My daughter loves me despite the fact that I'm from an alien species, one that ruined her race, her planet. She still loves me.

"Wanda, of course she loves you. You're her mother," he says. He's smiling wide, just as relieved about the conversation as I am. He raises his eyebrows at me and I walk over the bed. I quickly strip my jeans and sweater off, then climb into bed. Ian immediately wraps his arms around me from behind, warming me up.

"I still can't believe this is real," I murmur, staring ahead at the purple cave walls.

"What?" Ian asks, taken aback. He twists me around so that we're facing each other, his arms still tied tight around me. I wrap one of my legs around his, latching onto him, and lean into his chest.

"All of it. I mean ever since that raid when Pet . . . when Petals died, everything's changed. I got a new body. Fords joined us. Jodi came back. Mel and Jared got married. We made a family." I take a deep breath. "We have a family, Ian. And our daughter loves us despite what I am. Everything's just so impossibly perfect. I can't believe it's all real. I feel like I'm going to wake up . . . like this is all one huge dream."

Ian strokes my back, his fingers tickling my bare skin. "It's real, Wanda. It's all beautifully real." He tilts my head up and looks me in the eyes. Smiles. Then he kisses me gently on the lips, sending a flash of heat through my body. I arch my back and lean closer to him, kissing him harder, more ferociously, trying to assure that he's here, that he's real.

His arms snake up to my neck and encircle me. He then rolls us over so that I'm under him and he's straddling me, holding himself above me and kissing me again. I close my eyes and enjoy the soft taste of his lips, the familiar scent of his skin. It all feels so wonderful. My insides ache for him.

After a long time, we finally stop to catch our breaths. My head hits the pillow fast and I realize how tired I am. Ian sense my fatigue and curls his arms around me, his arm serving as a second pillow. I rest against him and close my eyes, lulled to sleep by the steady sound of his breathing.

I fall asleep knowing that my ninth and final life has been, and will be, the most inexplicably perfect.

* * *

**~ The End ~**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**Thank you so much to everyone who read and reviewed this story! I'm glad so many people enjoyed it. It made me happy to read all of your thoughts on the story and know that I was (at least I think) writing a good story. If you have any Host related requests (or any books in general) let me know and I'll see if I'll write one. Would you guys want a sequel to this fic set in the future? Like when Lena is 16ish? Let me know. If not, I'll move on! THANKS SO MUCH AGAIN! LOVE YOU ALL :) **


	38. SEQUEL!

Hey! SOOOOOO many people requested I write a sequel, so I finally gave it. A few people PM'd me saying they wanted this one to deal more with them fighting back against the Souls, so that's the story I'm going with. It takes place when Lena is 16 and starts with them going to meet another group of resisters. There will be PLENTY of O'Wanda, Jelanie, and even some Samie? Junny? (basically, Jamie and Sunny oooh). And Lena will have a love interest of her own! So hopefully you'll check it out!

Here's a link :)

s/9567588/1/Retake


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